Yellow Brick Road
by ninadobsession
Summary: Elena Gilbert, desperate for money and a writing job, finds herself faced with the greatest opportunity of her young life. The only downside: she'd be working for Damon Salvatore.
1. Chapter 1: Words So Sweet

**Hello beautiful readers! Gosh, I've missed writing for you all. I had to take a two week hiatus because of finals and graduation, but now that it's summer, I'm back in the game with this brand spanking new story.**

**This story is a bit different than my others because it contains little to no mystery and is mostly based on character development and relationship development. If you want mystery, you can check out my two other multi-chap fics which have PLENTY of it, but I really wanted to try something different this time around. This fic will also mostly be from Elena's POV, but I know at certain points I'm going to want to slip some Damon POV in as well.**

**Another note is the rating of this story. It is T, but if you can't handle M rated language, I recommend you not read this. I rated it T because I know how upset people can get when there's no direct smuttiness when they read an M fic. For right now, it's T rated and I don't plan on changing it unless there's a lot of requests for it to be moved up. Honestly, I suck at writing smut (go check out Walk Away if you want proof) and again, I'm trying something new, but if you all think it's that important for the story (or you're just desperate for it ;) ), then I might try to work something out. But for now: T.**

**Well, that's all I have to say up front. I'm not sure if this chapter will hook you all enough, but I do recommend staying on for at least the 2nd or 3rd chapter so you can understand more of the flow of the story before making your decision. I made this one a little longer to get in as much information as possible. I love you all and hope you enjoy!**

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Chapter 1: Words So Sweet

_It was so easy and the words so sweet.  
You can't remember, you try to move your feet._

Another day, another rejection call. Well, at least they called. Most companies neglected to even inform her that she was no longer being considered for the position. But that's how it worked in the big, bad real world. Especially living in Los Angeles. Your hopes and dreams were quickly eaten alive unless you were one of the lucky ones. And Elena Gilbert was far from lucky.

She crossed her legs, covered in tangerine skinny jeans, and leaned back into the black city bench she'd taken the call on. The woman on the other end had seemed nice enough, most likely a young girl just like Elena who would do anything to keep her job, including making those painful and awkward phone calls nobody else wanted to make. Elena had never actually gotten a rejection call from the person who'd interviewed her which had grown increasingly frustrating. She wanted to be able to ask what she'd done wrong, where she could improve. Instead, the only advice was to "keep trying" from a person who'd never laid eyes on her.

Elena had to shake it off though. She was on her way to another interview. She didn't know much about it, but she'd stopped being particular when it came to possible money-making options. She'd found it through Craigslist. The posting only stated that it was a freelance writing position that would take about six months. The only requirements were that they be one hundred percent committed to their job. There wasn't even a mention of previous writing experience. She'd called the number and been given an address and a time to arrive.

Elena checked her phone and realized she'd need to leave now if she wanted to make it in time. With all the interviews she'd done lately, she knew that lateness made the interviewer immediately write you off. Even if you were the greatest writer in the country, this ranked in some of the top interview fails.

Another was dressing wrong. You had to wear the right clothes for the right company. Elena had stopped wearing tight pencil skirts and severe conservative blouses to every interview. Sometimes the interviewer was a laidback surfer dude who was immediately turned off by any sort of influence "from the man." You had to go with your gut and make sure that you were dressed to impress.

This time, it had been a bit harder to guess exactly what to wear. The position listing itself had been so vague, she had no clue what she was going into. But in the past, all of the larger and more formal companies had much more detailed listings, so Elena had to assume that this one would be a bit more casual. In turn, she'd chosen a striped boatneck t-shirt and fabulous black wedge heels to go with the bold jeans.

As she approached the building, she dropped her phone into her black bag, making sure it was on silent. That was another interview fail: having your cell go off. Not too professional. The building was a completely white, modern building tucked in between shops on one of the main drags. Elena rarely spent anytime in this area, unless attending an interview so the street was only fairly familiar. The building had a white solid gate in front of it, blocking it from any outside strangers. She was about to press the buzzer on the side when suddenly the gate flew open, almost hitting Elena in the face.

A fuming blonde stomped out and let out a scream. It took her a few moments to calm down and finally notice Elena. When she did, the girl scanned Elena from head-to-toe and let out a bitter laugh.

"Oh, good luck honey. You're gonna need it." Elena realized the girl was making an insinuation based on her outfit. That was when Elena noticed what she was wearing. The blonde had a hot pink mini dress with a deep v-neckline and a bedazzled bodice. Accompanying the inappropriate dress were 5-inch platform heels. Was this girl serious? Elena was the one with the bad outfit? But maybe she knew something Elena didn't.

That moment was when Elena's heart began to beat wildly. Oh my god, she'd signed up for some creepy porn audition. That explained why the posting had been so vague. This was practically a Dateline episode waiting to happen. Young aspiring writer gets forced to take off her clothes and have sex on camera, when she thought it was a simple writing position. She was such an idiot. This day was turning worse and worse.

Elena was about to turn away when she heard the girl answer her phone. "What?" she shrieked into the phone. "No, I didn't get the writing position. _He _didn't like me." Elena paused, eavesdropping. Why would the girl still be referring to it as a writing job? "Yeah, well it was probably stupid of me to try when I have _no_ writing experience. Whatever, he was an ass. Yeah, I'll meet you there in thirty. Later." The blonde dramatically tossed the phone into her purse and looked up at Elena.

"What's your problem?" She sneered. Elena blushed, realizing she must have been staring.

"I'm sorry," Elena apologized. She took a deep breath before asking her next question. "Is this job… legit? Like, is it a real writing position?"

The blonde stared at Elena as though she had horns growing out of her head. "Umm, yeah." She cocked her head. "Wait, do you not know?"

Elena shook her head, now thoroughly confused as to what she'd walked into.

"Oh my god, this is rich!" The girl began laughing hysterically, although Elena sensed a hint of that earlier bitterness. Most shockingly enough, the girl just kept walking. Elena stood there, awestruck by the events of the past few minutes. What in the hell was waiting for her inside that building?

But curiosity got the better of her. She was no longer terrified of the prospect that there was some perverted male fantasy awaiting her, but she was still anxious. For a girl who prided herself in knowing what to expect when it came to interviews, this one was blowing all of her expectations out of the water. Elena had always been curious (it came with her love of writing) and she could no longer just stand outside. Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the gate and walked through the small courtyard area to the door.

Once inside, Elena noted how the interior matched the exterior. All white with occasional pops of color, like the glass bowl of red apples and the lime green couch. The front area was small, only holding an equally white desk and one door that must have led to where she was being interviewed. There was a dark skinned brunette at the front counter who was rapidly typing at a keyboard on a white Mac.

"Elena Gilbert?" The receptionist spoke without glancing away from the screen.

"Yes?" Elena fought off the urge to say um, one of her worst habits. She didn't want to sound unprofessional.

"You may head on in to the conference room. They're waiting for you." At this point, she glanced up to regard Elena, waiting for her to leave.

"Thank you," Elena replied hesitatingly. She walked towards the door and slowly opened the door.

She was faced with a room with far more color than the stark waiting area. The walls were a dark burgundy and the floors were a tan hardwood. In fact, the only white thing she could spot was the giant white table in the middle of the room. The conference room was sparsely decorated and it seemed as though the room was incredibly impersonal. They must have rented the space out just to do interviews. Elena had been to a few of those.

What was most surprising were the two men sitting at the table. Although both were incredibly handsome, that wasn't what threw her. Living in LA, she'd seen her fair share of attractive people. In fact, it was growing increasingly more surprising to spot someone who was unattractive. No, the thing that was most surprising was their expressions. The one on the left, with dark black hair and bright blue eyes, was unabashedly staring at her as if she were a piece of meat while the other, a man with stubbly facial hair, was looking at her similarly to how the girl outside had, as though her skin were green.

"Umm, hi," Elena cursed herself immediately. Damn her and her nervous habits. "I'm Elena Gilbert." She walked towards where both men were sitting and offered her hand. The stubbly one was still stunned and the other let out a choked laugh. Elena flushed, embarrassed that both had basically ignored her gesture and she walked back to the chair closest to the door and sat down. This was already going miserably.

Both men were still just staring at her, neither offering to introduce themselves. Elena gulped. "I brought my portfolio if you would like to take a look at it." She slid the manila folder down towards the pair but they both offered the same reactions they had to her hand, a choked laugh and the stunned stare. Elena was absolutely lost as to what was going on. Never had she been in a situation as awkward as this. She wanted to just disappear.

Finally, Elena realized what her course of action would be. She didn't even want this job anymore. It was too strange. The sluttily dressed and spastic girl on the sidewalk. The rented out space. The two ridiculously quiet men staring at her. She couldn't take it anymore. Her frustration had been building up since the second she'd walked inside.

"Look, I understand I must have done something wrong." Her tone was harsh and bitter.  
"But I would like to know what it is rather than be humiliated by your shameless gawking. I don't appreciate you dragging me down here just to mess with me. So please just tell me so I can be on my way."

Once again, the room was nearly silent and Elena was met with just another laugh from the dark haired man sitting at the head. Elena let out a growl of frustration. "Fine," she practically yelled. She harshly grabbed the portfolio off the table and tightened her grip on her bag, standing up. She headed to the door, but not before turning around and glancing back at the pair, neither of whom had made an effort to make her stay. "I hope you two find someone insane enough to fill this position, if there even is one." At that, she yanked the door open and let it slam shut behind her. She was greeted with the receptionist sharply lifting her head up and glaring at Elena. "Please don't slam the door," the girl said rudely.

Elena glared at her, but apologized quietly, marching out of the main door into the courtyard and making sure she didn't close the door as harshly that time. Unfortunately, some of her Southern manners were still stuck with her. This was turning into literally one of the worst days ever. Thankfully, it was a Friday and she could go home, get a glass of wine and rant to her roommate about the ridiculous experience she'd had. She knew one day it would most likely be a humorous experience, but right now all she wanted to do was pull a scene similar to the girl she'd run into at the gate.

But before she could escape, she heard the shout of a man behind her. She groaned. They wanted to talk to her _now? _She spun around, surprised to see the paler man, rather than the other. Granted this was the same one who'd barely glanced up from her ass when she'd been leaving.

"Well, look who's got a job," he grinned. He offered his hand, which she refused to take.

"What job?" she yelled exasperated. "I have no clue what the hell I just interviewed for, if that could even be considered an interview!"

The guy still had the cocky grin on his face, seemingly enjoying her outbursts. "The job is to write my autobiography."

Elena was now looking at him in a similar fashion as the other one had in the conference room. "You do understand what the root word auto- means, right?" His expression didn't change from the smirk. "It means self… as in _self-_written."

He laughed. "Sweetheart, it's called ghost writing. _You_ get all the cash, _I_ get all the credit."

She wasn't particularly thrown off by his statement. Cash was her first priority at the moment, and everyone in the professional writing circles would know she'd been the one to actually write it. Ghost writing got out pretty fast in the publishing world. She didn't particularly care about having the rest of the world know about her writing skills, at least not at the moment.

She crossed her arms across her chest. "What makes you so special that you deserve a book about you?"

Now it was his turn to be shocked by her statement. But he quickly covered it up with the perpetual smirk. "I'm Damon Salvatore." The way he said it was as if his name should bring trumpets and attractive girls bowing at his feet. But Elena had little to no recognition of it. She felt like she'd heard it before, but she couldn't place exactly where.

"And that means…" she asked, still trying to maintain her angry attitude.

He laughed again. "Oh, honey… somebody needs to do some research." He pulled out a pen from his back pocket and yanked the portfolio out of her arms before she could object. He flipped it open and scribbled a number on the sheet. "How about this? You go home, do some research, and then get in touch with me. _Then_ we can discuss this job." Damon handed the portfolio back to her, dangling it in front of her face.

She didn't grab it immediately, not wanting him to win in any sense of the word. "What makes you think I want this job? Especially after what you just put me through."

"Well, I think, if you do some research, you'll see there are certain… incentives to working for me. But if you need one for the road…" At that, Damon flipped the portfolio back and scribbled something else underneath his phone number. He handed it back to her and she took it. But after looking at the number she almost dropped the folder on the ground in shock.

"Fifty thousand dollars?" She gasped. Most writers, especially ghost writers barely made thirty thousand a _year_, let alone just for one assignment. "Fifty thousand dollars to write your book?"

This time he laughed. "Darling, that's per week." Elena's heart stopped in her chest. Oh my god, was he shitting her? This was potentially a six month gig. Elena tried to calculate it in her head, but the numbers started to get way too big. Before she could say anything, they were interrupted by a similar bubbly and busty girl who was entering from the front gate. "Oh my gosh, Mr. Salvatore," she practically squealed. Elena desperately fought the urge to roll her eyes. But she was a little surprised that this girl automatically recognized him. "I heard the rumors but I didn't think-"

Damon cut her off. "Turn around sweetheart. We've already hired someone."

Elena twisted her head and saw the girl's shocked and disappointed expression. "Oh, alright, Mr. Salvatore. It was a pleasure meeting you." Damon didn't dignify her fangirling with a response, his gaze still locked on Elena. The girl looked crushed, but rushed out of the gate, barely concealing the rapid texting on her phone.

"That was a bit presumptuous, Mr. Salvatore," Elena spoke once she was gone. She'd calmed considerably after the original shock. "Considering I've yet to accept your offer."

Damon smiled. "First thing you should know for my biography: I'm a risk taker. Not that I consider this a risk. The second is that I can read people pretty damn well." He paused, regarding her with a leer. "_That's_ why I know you'll take this job. And thirdly: I strongly dislike being called Mr. Salvatore. That's always been my father, and as far as being reminiscent of dear ol' dad, I'd like to stay as far away from that as possible."

Elena smirked. "I'll make sure to write down 'daddy-issues' as well."

Damon laughed. "Be careful, Ms. Gilbert. That offer can easily be revoked."

Elena bit her lip, still a bit shocked from the events of the past few minutes. "Goodbye, Damon."

"Can't wait to hear from you soon." He began to turn towards the door, but stopped to face her again. "By the way, if you attempt to sell my number online, I'll make sure you never get a job in the entirety of the writing industry. Is that clear?"

Elena gulped, a bit surprised by his force. "Of course," she spoke quietly. The thought had never even crossed her mind. Who the hell was this guy?

He stared at her for a few more moments before approaching her again and grasping her free hand. He lifted the back to his lips and kissed it. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Elena." With that, he pivoted on his heel and gracefully entered the building again.

What in the absolute fuck had she gotten herself into?

* * *

Once Elena was back at her apartment, she instantly felt her shoulders lower. She felt like she'd been holding her breath since Damon had approached her in the courtyard. But she could barely take a moment to consider his offer when her roommate Bonnie came bounding into the living area.

"Are you going to tell me now why you wanted me to look up Damon Salvatore?" she said exasperatedly. Elena had texted her on the bus ride back, asking for her friend to do some preliminary Googling, but all she'd gotten back was an all caps "Umm why?" and then about three more of the same after that.

"Who is he, Bonnie?" she asked, taking a deep breath. Sometimes her friend's stubborn persistence was a tad obnoxious.

"A huge freaking director, super famous, but I didn't have to Google anything to tell you that. Now tell me why you're asking."

Elena's breath caught in her throat. So he was a famous director. Damn, she really had gotten herself into a bigger deal than she'd originally thought. Thankfully, she'd be able to clear up some of the grey areas having a USC film student for a best friend.

"Like how big?" Elena asked, throwing her purse on the counter and plopping down on the couch.

"Like movie industry royalty. The Salvatores have been making movies since films were invented." Bonnie plopped down onto the couch, her retrieval system already in full force. Elena had never held a large interest in film so Bonnie wanted to take any chance she could in order to discuss her favorite subject and share her knowledge. "It's this crazy sort of generational thing. They've never had a flop or a dud movie, not them or their father or their father's father. It's practically impossible for them. Every single one seems to get better and better. Apparently, they have an entire room just for the Oscars they've won."

Elena scoffed. "That's insane."

"But it's true!" Bonnie replied indignantly. "You can take an entire course at USC just called Salvatore, analyzing their films and learning everything about them. It's always full in the first five minutes of registration so I've never been able to get in, unfortunately." Elena tried to hide her disappointment as Bonnie continued. "But you can barely be considered a film student if you don't know about the Originals."

"The Originals?" Elena asked.

"The Originals are a group of five directors who all have a similar film heritage. Damon and his brother Stefan, both directors. And then the three Michaelson brothers: Klaus, Elijah, and Kol. They're all surprisingly good friends, considering that their films are typically the ones to compete in all of the festivals for the top honors. Unfortunately, the Michaelsons have a bit more difficulty keeping the lid on their crazy personal lives. That typically hurts their movies so they don't have the same spotless no-flop record that the Salvatores do."

"So the Salvatore brothers are angels?" Elena asked doubtfully. Damon didn't seem so perfect earlier today.

"No, definitely not. They just have fabulous PR. The Originals always go on these elaborate trips together, planning it out so none of them are filming for like half the year and they just go batshit wild. Sex, drugs, drinks, you name it. The Michaelsons are always the ones to take it too far, but everyone's pretty sure that the Salvatores are equally as crazy."

Elena gulped. How in the hell could she write a decent biography for a guy whose main pastime was partying? He didn't seem to have much below the surface, but maybe his movies would shed some light on him. Elena was also uneasy about something else Bonnie had mentioned: the duration of these vacations. Didn't the posting say the job was six months long? Exactly what part of his life would she be documenting?

"Hello, earth to Elena!" Bonnie shouted, waving her hand in front of Elena's face. "Why do you look like you're about to puke all over the rug?"

"I met Damon Salvatore today," Elena said, practically feeling her face grow pale.

"Woah, back that up for a second," Bonnie replied. "You met _the _Damon Salvatore?" Elena nodded. "Of course!" Bonnie shot up from her seat. "My couldn't-give-two-shits-about-film roommate is the one to meet one of the most celebrate directors of all time."

"Bonnie," Elena said, feeling a bit guilty.

"Sorry." Bonnie ran her hands through her hair. "Well, let me live vicariously through you for a second. Tell me everything."

Elena took a deep breath. "I went in for this job interview, which was completely wacky by the way, and he offered me the job." Elena regarded her friend's expression and began to grow fearful about how shocked her face was turning.

"Umm, Bonnie? A response would be nice."

"Holy fuck, you're going to be an Original girl!" Bonnie screamed.

"What, an Original what?" Elena was now completely confused.

"An Original girl! Elena, did he ask you to write his biography?"

"His _auto_-biography," Elena laughed.

"Holy shit!"

"Bonnie! What do you know that I don't know?"

Bonnie had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself down before speaking. "All of the Originals have had biographies written about them. It doesn't make much sense given that they're so young, but with all of the films they've done, they all have enough to fill up a book. These guys hire girls, aspiring young writers like you, to write it for them. The media can never contact these girls for months at a time and then all of a sudden, there's a biography out. Then these girls blow up." At that, Bonnie began to rapidly type on her iPhone. "These girls get like mountains upon mountains of awards. One of them got a damn Pulitzer." Bonnie flipped her phone so Elena could see the Wikipedia page, highlighting all of the accolades the girls had garnered. "Every book the girls have written afterwards has become a bestseller. Fuck, Elena, how did you not know about them?"

Elena stared, mouth gaping at the screen. She knew these authors, heck, she'd read a few of their books, but she'd never known their history. Suddenly she heard Bonnie was still talking.

"Wait, what did you say?"

"I said that Damon is the only one who held off on the biography. Apparently like thousands of girls have been attempting to become his 'girl.' Holy fuck, my roommate is going to be an Original girl."

Elena threw the phone down on the couch, completely overwhelmed. She stood up, taking deep breaths as she went. "So you're telling me, that if I take this job, not only do I get the most ridiculous amount of cash I've ever seen in my life, but I get… this?" Elena motioned to the iPhone.

"Elena Gilbert," Bonnie replied. "You get the goddamn publishing world at your feet."

Elena could barely breathe. What in the hell had she just stepped into? She would have to readjust her view of how lucky she was because this was like picking the four-leaf clover of jobs. But Elena's cynical side was rearing its head.

"Wait a second, what's the catch?" Elena asked. "There's no way this is that flawless of an offer. There has to be something wrong with it."

Bonnie gulped nervously. "Well there is one catch, but I wouldn't necessarily call it a downside."

"Well, spit it out," Elena spoke nervously. She was not going to let her hopes get up.

"All of the Original girls… they typically get into relationships with the guys…"

"That does not mean I will." Elena felt a bit more at ease. At this point, she felt almost zero attraction to the man with the bright blue eyes.

"No, Elena, I mean… I don't think a girl has walked out of there without sleeping with them. I'm not sure you'd be getting your paycheck unless…"

Elena swallowed the lump in her throat. "…Unless I sleep with Damon Salvatore."

**So? Was that hooking? That word doesn't really work. Did it make you want to keep reading? Or do you just want my computer to get into a large, all-consuming fire? Hahaha, let me know in the reviews and obviously let me know your opinions/theories/questions. Reviews are the life source for this story and I mean it when I say a review can make my entire day twenty times better. I'm not even kidding, I remember all of your usernames and just adore hearing from you, especially if you review every week. I'm so excited to start this summer with a brand new story and a group of fabulous readers both new and old.**

**love love love :) new update in a week if you all don't hate it!**


	2. Chapter 2: Soul Meets Body

**Hey hey fabulous readers :) So I'm really excited because of the great response I received for this story and am equally thrilled to give you guys the next chapter. This story will hopefully have a lot of comedy as well as a good dose of sadness/angst and I think those two combine to make a great fic. On top of that, we've got major characters with some major damage, which always makes it fun. **_  
_

**This chapter has one of my favorite elements: banter. I hope you guys equally enjoy it because you're definitely going to get some more of the Elena/Damon dynamic in this chap.**

**And finally, I want to say thank you times a thousand for your sweet reviews. Even the short ones mean the world to me and reassure me that you are enjoying this story. And I can say it a million times but I write these stories purely for you all. So continue to leave your reviews, even if they seem pointless and especially message me on my tumblr (ninadobsession, the same as my username here) because I've recently been getting some love on there and I definitely appreciate that.**

**Alright, I'll shut up now. Hope you enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: Soul Meets Body

_I want to live where soul meets body_

_And let the sun wrap its arms around me_

_And bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing_

_And feel, feel what its like to be new_

Elena nervously tapped out a beat with her fingers on the coffee table. She'd been putting off the phone call for hours now. She'd wasted practically her entire Monday, doing anything and everything but picking up the phone and dialing his number. She'd spent the weekend avoiding thinking about it. After her eye-opening conversation with Bonnie on Friday, they'd spent the weekend doing girly things: laying out at the park, buying cute clothes at the mall, and a chick flick marathon. Elena had been the instigator of the activities, not wanting to think about the major decision she had ahead of her.

"How about this?" Bonnie had propositioned as Elena was setting up their fourth movie. "Why don't you just call him on Monday and ask him some questions? That way, you can buy yourself some more time to think about it."

"I don't need any more time," Elena grumbled. Elena knew that time wouldn't help her make her decision. She knew her answer already; she just wasn't sure how she could possibly say it out loud.

"Honey, I can tell you're nervous," Bonnie replied as Elena settled back down on the couch. "You've been tapping everything in sight." Elena's nervous habit sounded dirty, but it was instead her uncanny knack to tap her fingers on any available surface when she was anxious.

"I just… How can I do this to myself? How can I say no to the greatest offer I'll ever get?"

Bonnie sighed. "Because you're better than that, Elena. You're better than sleeping with a douchey guy just for some fabulous opportunites." Bonnie readjusted so Elena would turn to look at her.

"I've considered it a million times, Bonnie. Really, I have. Does considering it make me just as trashy as the rest of them?"

Bonnie chuckled. "No. It makes you human. Look, don't get me wrong. You know what turning this down means. We both do. But we also know what accepting it means. And my roommate does not fuck her way to the top. You know that behind the razzle dazzle of this offer is just a slimy guy with a bunch of his slimy friends taking advantage of talented girls like you." Bonnie noticed her friend's quickly developing tears and grabbed her chin so that she was forced to make eye contact. "Elena Gilbert, I've read your stuff. You have an incredible talent. You should be recognized for that and that only. And you will. Your work speaks for itself and it doesn't need Damon Salvatore or anybody else for people to realize that. And when that day comes when Elena Gilbert becomes a household name, you'll know you didn't achieve what you achieved because of the way you looked or how good you were in the sack. You'll have done it because you're amazing."

Elena smiled at the memory from the previous night. But Bonnie's encouraging words hadn't stopped her from waking up on Monday morning and being terrified of informing him of her decision. Elena knew how disappointed Bonnie would be if she came back from an entire day of classes to a coward of a roommate so Elena clumsily grabbed the phone and dialed the number scrawled on her portfolio.

"Damon Salvatore," Elena heard on the other end after three rings.

"Hi, Damon," Elena stopped herself from calling him Mr. Salvatore, remembering his dislike for it. "This is Elena Gilbert, calling about-"

"Ahh, yes, Ms. Gilbert, quick question for you."

Elena faltered, surprised at his interruption. "Oh, alright."

"What's your favorite song?"

Elena's forehead crinkled in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"I said, what is your favorite song?" Damon's tone sounded completely serious.

Elena paused. "Damon, are you drunk?"

She heard light laughter on the other end. "No, Elena," He drew out her name, adding about five more syllables to it. "I'm not drunk. I'm just simply a curious man and I would like to know some things about my future biography writer."

Elena held back a scoff. "Well, that's actually what I was calling about. I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your offer."

Elena smirked after hearing the pause on the other end. She'd finally thrown the un-throwable.

But his rebound time was minimal. "Alright, what'd you find?" He sighed.

"Excuse me?"

"What did you find that's making you say no?" He spoke slowly, as if there were a child on the other end.

Elena stuttered. "I didn't find anything."

"Don't lie to me. You obviously did. Remember that whole 'I read people well' thing? Now tell me what you found out that's making you say no."

_Cause in my head there's a greyhound station_

_Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations_

_So they may have a chance of finding a place_

_where they're far more suited than here_

Elena gulped. She hadn't expected this. She'd expected him to be a little pissed, maybe even some groveling but not this. "I didn't find anything, Damon. I just decided that this position isn't a good fit for me." Elena wasn't exactly sure how to say "I don't want to have sex with you."

"Good fit for me… good fit for me…" She heard Damon repeat her phrase a few times. "Elena, did you do your research? Any at all?"

"Of course I did," Elena replied indignantly. On top of the conversation she'd had with Bonnie she'd spent early into Saturday morning searching his name on the internet. She'd gone almost fifty pages back in the search engine, reading and scanning every single article, picture, or YouTube clip she could find.

"Yes, of course you did, because you're good. You're good at what you do and, like me, you have an inherent curiosity that you were just dying to satisfy. But you wouldn't have done your research if you were planning on automatically writing me off so you had to have discovered something that made you say no."

"I understand you have some twisted desire to analyze my every move," Elena interrupted his train of thought. "…but unfortunately, if you continue, you'll just be wasting your time. I simply made a decision based on a careful list of pros and cons, like any adult would do, and I determined that working for you wouldn't put in me in the right place for my career and-"

"You don't want to fuck me."

Elena felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. "Excuse me?" She nearly shouted, her tone strained.

"You heard about the sex thing. You heard about the sex thing and that's the reason why you don't want to do this. In fact, it's the only reason." She could practically hear his smirk over the phone.

Elena was officially flabbergasted by the conversation. "I have absolutely no clue what you're referring to," she stuttered.

"Oh, don't play dumb. If I wanted a dumb girl, I could have picked one of the hundreds before you. You already confirmed that you did your research so I know you comprehend all the perks. But you also did enough research to find out all of the myths and legends of being an 'Original girl' and that is your reasoning behind saying no."

Elena sighed. She was about to just hang up, but the curiosity Damon had previously referred to was biting at her. "Why do you call it a myth? Isn't it true?" she conceded.

"Depends what parts you're referring to."

Elena huffed out a breath. She decided to start out slow since he was obviously playing some sort of game. "The biography part?"

Damon scoffed. "Of course. I already asked you to do that. Come on, dig deeper, Ms. Journalist extraordinaire."

"I'm not a journalist, Damon."

"According to the Mystic Falls High newspaper, you are."

Elena's jaw dropped. "What the-"

"Don't act so surprised, Elena," Damon sighed. "You think I would have offered you this job without digging up a little dirt on you first? Figure out if you're even a half-decent writer? Research, Ms. Gilbert, is key. It's why they invented the internet."

Elena was reminded of the old adage explaining that a conversation was like a tennis match. But talking to Damon was like playing Roger Federer. She was absolutely out of her league. She attempted a comeback. "Don't you know curiosity killed the cat?"

"Good. I hate cats," Damon replied without a moment's hesitation. "Make sure to write that down."

Elena's temperament was rapidly reaching furiousness. "Damon, I already conveyed to you that I was not taking the job."

"Keep asking me your questions, Elena. I'd love to clear the air." He was basically ignoring her answer at this point.

Elena let out another huff of breath. "Fine. Is it true that you disappear off the face of the earth while you're writing?"

"Let's not be dramatic, Elena…"

"Damon!"

"Well, you would be in an unnamed exotic location. We try to keep the paparazzi as far away as possible from our little outings."

So it was true. She would have been witnessing the vacation part of his life, not the working part. Elena was becoming more thankful by the second that she was declining.

"So the vacation thing is true? You go absolutely buck wild for six months? Frat boys: grown-up edition?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny the allegations placed against me and my brothers." Elena noted his mention of the Originals as his brothers. "The only people who have one hundred percent factual knowledge of what occurs are those that attend, an invitation of which has been courteously extended to you."

_And I cannot guess what we'll discover_

_When we turn the dirt with our palms cupped like shovels_

_But I know our filthy hands can wash one another's_

_And not one speck will remain_

Elena rolled her eyes at his far too obvious attempt. But Elena was done playing his games. She knew she'd never talk to him again so she didn't have fear of embarrassing herself. "Alright then. Is the 'relationship' thing true?"

Damon laughed lightly on the other end. "Partially. Have all my brothers been romantically intertwined with the woman that wrote their books? Yes. Is it a requirement for the job? No."

Elena gulped. "What do you mean?"

"It means, Elena," Damon's tone sounded exasperated. "… that this isn't a small prostitution ring. You don't have to fuck me to get your money."

Elena winced at his use of the vulgar language. "I don't have to…" she repeated, still a bit concerned.

Damon sighed. "Elena, I cannot speak for my brothers and why they chose those women to enter into relationships with. But from my inference, these are all attractive, talented, witty women who have a close, personal relationship with the men they were writing for. From that, I can reasonably see why they would 'fall in love.'" Elena noted his tone of bitterness over those last three words. "In absolutely no way am I expecting the same from you. In fact, it's quite enjoyable to instead bicker with you incessantly." Once again, she could practically hear the smirk return.

Elena was absolutely stunned by his response, mostly because of the fact that it made sense. She took a deep breath, desperate to get off this call. "Oh, well, I appreciate your time, Damon. Thank you again for your generous offer-"

"Elena, wait," Damon interrupted.

"What?"

"Wasn't the only reason you turned down this job because you didn't want to sleep with me?"

Elena cringed, not expecting such an invasive questioning session. "Umm…"

He didn't wait for her answer. "Did I not just disprove that very reasoning only moments ago?"

"Yes," Elena conceded.

"Than why are you hanging up right now?"

Elena gulped. When presented with the question, she had no clue. She'd spent the entire weekend convincing herself not to do it because of that one reason and that one reason only. Now that he had fully denied it, what exactly was stopping her? She remembered her words from earlier, how she'd considered it the opportunity of a lifetime. So why was she still turning it down?"

"Say yes, Elena," Damon's tone was softer, almost similar to what she would expect if he were begging. "I want you to write this just as badly as you do. I waited years for the right person and I found them. Please don't make me settle for second rate."

Elena was drawn in by his words. She cursed herself because she realized she didn't even have to consult with her head and her heart. Both were screaming "yes" with bullhorns.

"If I said yes…. And that's a large if, Damon… I'd need to know more details."

She groaned at his victorious cheer on the other end of the line. "Well, we're leaving on Friday so you'd need to be ready by then."

Friday? Elena could practically feel the sweat forming. "Where are we going exactly?"

"Oh, no can do princess," Damon warned. "It's a surprise."

"A surprise? You've got to be kidding me. I'm a grown woman, Damon."

"Yes, and as a grown woman, I expect you to take a risk without complaining."

"Any other rules, Mr. Salvatore?" She smirked at his growl.

"Yes. You'll need to stop by my office today and sign a NDA, non-disclosure agreement."

"I know what a NDA is, Damon."

"Somebody been reading their Fifty Shades of Grey, Ms. Gilbert?"

Elena flushed crimson. "No…" Elena cursed herself for sounding so obvious. "I knew what it was before that."

Damon laughed heartily. "Kinky… I like it."

Elena was surprised at how she felt. She didn't feel absolutely mortified discussing an erotic novel with him. Actually, she felt confident and bold. "Not kinky. Just curious."

"The line between curious and kinky is a fine one, Ms. Gilbert. I would know."

"Can you please repeat that, Damon? I don't think my recorder quite picked up that last one."

Damon laughed again, a sound that was becoming increasingly pleasing to her. "Unfortunately, this position doesn't come with a HR department to report sexual harassment to."

"Is that a threat?" Elena tried to sound confident, but his words had shaken her nerves a bit.

She heard his chuckle before his response. "I, Damon Salvatore, promise to not throw anything your way that you can't handle as long as you do the same."

Elena scoffed. "I highly doubt I could throw anything your way that would shake you, Damon."

Damon paused for a moment, a moment so long Elena began to wonder if she'd lost him. "You'd be surprised, Elena."

_And I do believe it's true_

_That there are roads left in both of our shoes_

_But if the silence takes you_

_Then I hope it takes me too_

_So brown eyes I hold you near_

_Cause you're the only song I want to hear_

_A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere_

"Alright then. Is there anything else I should expect while I'm there?"

"Yes. Actually, there are some things I expect of _you_."

"More rules?"

"Yes, Elena. Just three more rules. But why don't you come on down so I can explain them after you've signed your life away?"

Elena groaned. She took a look at the time, recognizing that Bonnie was due home soon. She wasn't exactly sure how she was going to break the latest news to her roommate so maybe being out of the house for a bit would be a good thing. "Fine. Do I need to be… umm… dressed professionally?"

"No wear whatever you already have. _Especially_ if it's slutty"

"Damon…" she whined.

"Fine, fine. I'll text you the address."

* * *

Elena arrived at the downtown office building, this one far different from the location her interview had been in. She rode the elevator up nineteen floors before arriving at an unmarked door. She entered only to be faced with the same receptionist from a few days ago, a receptionist who'd apparently undergone an attitude transplant.

"Good evening, Ms. Gilbert," she came from behind the desk and held her hand out for Elena to shake. "It's a pleasure to have you join our team. I'm Sarah, one of the many assistants around here and I'd be happy to provide you with anything you need while you're here."

"Umm…" Elena wouldn't think it was the same girl if it weren't for the judgmental way she scanned Elena's outfit. Her gaze made Elena instantly feel self-conscious over her white jean shorts, denim shirt and red moccasin flats. "I don't think I'll need anything while I'm here, Sarah. It'll be a short visit."

"Of course," Sarah smiled warmly. "Well, once again, just know I'm here if need be. I'll take you to Mr. Salvatore."

Elena followed the girl through the halls, passing more unmarked doors. Elena was surprised with how busy it seemed, as it was fairly late on a Friday. Finally, they reached the corner office and Sarah knocked before opening the door wide.

"Ahh, Elena, you must live nearby. Excellent timing." Damon typed out one last sentence on his computer before pressing the enter key and standing. "Sarah, you're free to go." Sarah nodded her head and exited quietly behind Elena.

"I might need that HR department after all," Damon mumbled cockily, staring at her long and exposed olive legs.

Elena rolled her eyes. He hadn't done much to hide his remark. "I have to get back to my roommate. I'm presuming the NDA is already prepared."

"Yes," Damon replied, grabbing the large stack of papers on his desk. "Come sit." She followed him to a small table with two chairs towards the side. She really liked his office with its massive amount of books and magnificent view of downtown LA.

He pointed out the various areas she'd need to initial, basically explaining to her that she couldn't provide any information about the vacation to reporters, journalists, or even her friends and family. She grew a bit nervous at that. How wild were these trips exactly? Elena fiddled with her beaded necklace, another nervous habit of hers.

"And here's the list of all the sex toys you'll allow me to use on you…"

"What?" Elena yelped, eyes wide.

Damon let out a hearty laugh. "Joke, Elena. I make them from time to time."

"Oh," Elena's heart beat slowly settled back down to its normal rate.

After signing and initialing in a few more places, Damon smiled and tapped the papers back into a more organized pile. "Alright, we are official. Thank you for doing this, Elena." He held out his hand for Elena to shake, something she'd yet to do since she'd denied it in the courtyard last week. She shook it, praying her hands weren't as sweaty as they typically got when she was nervous.

"So is there anything else I need to know before meeting you on Friday?" Elena asked.

"Well, I'll text you more details as I'm getting them. I'm not handling all the specifics. But yes. I guess now would be the time to share those three rules."

Elena had actually completely forgotten about his extra set of rules. "Oh, yes, of course."

Damon settled back into his chair, lazily intertwining his hands in his lap. "Number one: you're required to stay for the full six months, no exceptions. This is a rush job in the first place, so there are no breaks."

Elena swallowed, but didn't argue. She did note in her head that this six month vacation would fall over the holidays. She wouldn't be able to go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas? This was rough.

"Number two: if I ask for you, you come."

_Where soul meets body_

"Excuse me?" That one threw her. "What century do you reside in?"

"It's part of the job. I'll be relaying information to you on my own time and how I please. I don't particularly care to do this whole 'life story' thing but since it's required of me, I will do it my way and my way only. So if I want to talk to you at noon or three in the morning, you'll come with notebook in hand. Is that clear?"

Elena grumbled. It didn't seem that terrible. "Fine. You sound like a caveman though. You might want to work on your delivery."

Damon chuckled. "I hope to never do this again."

Elena sighed. "Alright, Salvatore, what's the last one?"

"You are not permitted to drink while on this trip."

"What?" Elena asked, shock marring her features.

"You heard me, Ms. Gilbert."

"I can't drink while you're on a six month binge drinking fest? That's absurd!"

"No. _That's_ the rules."

Elena's mouth was agape. "So what am I supposed to do while you and your brothers are off gallivanting and having a good time? Knit?"

"If that's your hobby of choice, sure. Look, Elena, I don't want anything distracting you from your job at hand. Most other companies wouldn't allow you to drink on the job. This one just happens to be in a much more tempting environment."

Elena huffed. His argument made some sense, but it still seemed absurd. "So I have no breaks, no free will, and no alcoholic privileges?"

Damon smirked and stood up, pacing towards the floor-to-ceiling window and looking out over the horizon. "Look, you're the one using me here. This is the only job on the planet where you'll receive the kind of benefits you're about to get. Did you really expect there to be no sacrifices?"

Elena gulped. "No, of course not." She felt like a child who'd been scorned for naivety.

"Good," Damon pivoted, facing her again with an expression that deemed their conversation officially over. "Well, everything's official now. You're free to leave. Make sure you have your phone nearby so I can give you details as they arrive."

"Alright," Elena now felt excruciatingly awkward. "Thank you for the opportunity, I guess." She cursed herself, knowing her nervous statement would only bring about that perpetual smirk. Elena determined that leaving was the best option, so she turned and exited as gracefully as she possibly could.

Once out in the hall, she did her best to get back to the lobby, although the unmarked doors and numerous hallways made it difficult. She took a deep sigh of relief once she did find her way to the front, happy that at least one of her difficult tasks was accomplished for the day. Of course, she still had to deal with a judgmental roommate back at the apartment. But before she could get to the elevators, a female voice called her name.

"Elena, Mr. Salvatore would like to see you."

Elena stopped dead in her tracks. _He what?_ She turned to Sarah, who was sitting at the front desk typing happily away at her computer as though her request wasn't as bizarre as it actually was.

"I was just there," Elena replied.

"I'm aware, but he wants to see you again."

Elena realized her mouth must be getting tired from all of the times her jaw had dropped today. She took a deep, calming breath and made the trek back through the halls. He must have just forgotten something.

"Good, you're back," Damon smiled once she entered. He was standing at the bookcase nearest to the door.

"Um, yes. Did you forget to tell me something?"

Damon shook his head. "Nope. Just giving you some practice."

Elena cocked her head. "Practice?"

"For coming when I call you."

Elena had to physically fight for her mouth not to gape. She also had to bite her lip so that she wouldn't say anything horrendously obscene. "Alright." Her voice was teetering on the edge of unbridled anger.

"Don't look so pissy, Ms. Gilbert. I do have a reason for calling you in here besides that." Damon turned from the stacks and approached her, only standing about two feet away.

"And that is?"

"You never answered my question from earlier."

Elena crinkled her eyebrows in confusion. "Your question?"

"Yes, Elena." Damon let out an exasperated sigh. "What is your favorite song?"

Ahh, yes. The completely out-of-the-blue question from earlier. "Umm, I'm not sure. I like a lot of music so it's hard."

Damon's flirtatious glance turned into a sharp glare. "Elena, answer the question."

"I don't know, Damon. Honestly, I don't think I have a favorite." Why in the world did answering this question mean so much to him?

_And I do believe it's true_

_That there are roads left in both of our shoes_

_But if the silence takes you_

_Then I hope it takes me too_

_So brown eyes I hold you near_

_Cause you're the only song I want to hear_

_A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere_

"Let me rephrase this. There's a new rule. When I ask you a question, you answer it and you answer it honestly. I don't particularly like to play the 'you depend on me' card, but I can easily do it. So answer the damn question."

Elena's throat felt suddenly dry. Well, now she knew she would need at least a chapter to talk about his control issues. "Umm, I guess… Can't Take My Eyes Off of You."

Elena was happy to see that at least a portion of the shock she'd experienced today would be shared by Damon. "Hmm… interesting. Didn't take you for a Valli girl."

"Can I just go, Damon?" Elena asked, suddenly desperate to leave, gripping her fringe bag nervously. Elena was about to leave without his invitation, but she noticed his cocky and angry gaze had inexplicably softened. He took a step closer, maintaining eye contact.

"Elena, my intentions are never to make you uncomfortable. Do I like it when I shake you a bit? Sure. But I would never want to make you feel uncomfortable. Please know you should inform me if I ever do cross that line." Elena's only response was a gulp. "Elena?"

Elena shook her head. "Yes, of course." Never in her life had Elena felt this out of her element. She had no clue how to foretell this man's actions and every time she thought she'd nailed him, he made a complete 180. If she could barely explain him to herself, she wondered how in the hell she'd be able to write a whole book on him. Before he could say anything, her flight instinct kicked in. "I'll see you on Friday," she said hastily as she rushed out of his office and back into the safety of a world she could actually predict.

**So what'd you think? Please leave your reviews so I can know. I know it takes a minute or so of your day but they're my life source when it comes to writing. Next chapter will be the big Bonnie/Elena talk and of course, the beginning of this big ol' vacation with Damon and the rest of the Originals. What do you think will happen? Will Bonnie be okay with Elena's change of plans? How soon do you think it will be until Damon toes that line again? And of course, where the heck do you think Damon's taking her?**

**P.S. Let me know if you've read 50 Shades yet. I read the first two last month and am mildly inspired by the characters in there for this, but don't worry. This story will not be going in the direction that one did ahahahha ;)**


	3. Chapter 3: Ships in the Night

**Well, this was an unexpected chapter. I do love it though when my characters/story require more than I expected. So I'd originally planned on hopping right into the vacation part, but the second I started the scene with Bonnie, I realized I was going to need a lot more explanation for dear ol' Elena. Elena Gilbert, being stubborn? Imagine that. :P So this happened. Don't worry: because of this twist in planning, you're actually going to get some extra Delena which I know is what you all are here for. I learned early on it wasn't just because of my startling good looks that you were reading this story ;)**_  
_

**I do want to take a moment to thank you all for the exemplary amount of reviews. The fact that so many of you all take the time to comment, even if it's just two to three words is so comforting to me and I do hope and pray that you all will keep it up. I've also been getting some private messages which I appreciate so you all are welcome to do that as well.**

**The song I chose for this chapter is a pretty over-used one, at least when it comes to fanvids but I love it and I think it definitely describes what's going on in this part.**

* * *

****Chapter 3: Ships in the Night

_Like ships in the night_

_You keep passing me by_

_We're just wasting time_

_Trying to prove who's right_

_And if it all goes crashing into the sea_

_If it's just you and me_

_Trying to find the light_

Elena cautiously made her way back into her apartment, hearing the light sound of music playing. Bonnie was spinning around in the kitchen, obviously already on her second glass of wine, stirring the pot of sauce on the stove.

"Look who it is!" Bonnie squealed. She reached behind her to grab another full glass, passing it to Elena. "I decided that I was not going to let you be depressed all night or let you freak out over your decision. We are celebrating."

Elena's nerves about this moment had already reached extreme levels on the way to the apartment, but now that her friend was practically throwing a party over an answer Elena didn't give, she felt like her chest was going to close in on her. Elena tossed her bag down on the counter and took a large gulp of wine. She would have to get her alcohol fix in this week since she'd soon be completely deprived of it for six months. Plus the liquid courage would definitely be required if she was going to let Bonnie know her plans tonight.

"You're cooking?" Elena was genuinely surprised. Everyone knew that the Bennett's were fabulous cooks. Bonnie's father was the head chef at the Inn at Mystic Falls and because of that, the town received thousands of tourists a year. Bonnie had gained the talent as well, but she rarely used it, unless she was trying to get something. Her studies took up the majority of her time, so typically Elena just made something basic or ordered out. Bonnie was always the cleaner, but it seemed ridiculous when she was so talented in the kitchen.

"How could I not?" Bonnie replied sincerely. "My best friend just made one of the hardest decisions of her life and she took the high road. She did the right thing and for that, you will experience my fabulous pasta dish for which I have no name. I barely remember what I put in it, but it tastes divine."

Elena took a deep breath. This was it. "Bonnie, can we talk?"

Bonnie glanced up at her friend's face and immediately her expression fell. "Oh my god, you told him yes." Another one of Bonnie's talents was knowing exactly what the other person was about to say. Her near psychic abilities could be quite inconvenient.

"Bonnie, let me explain." Elena could feel Bonnie's judgment hit her like a ton of rocks.

Bonnie was trying her best to hide it, but it wasn't working very well. "Elena, I'm not really sure you need to explain it. It's pretty clear to me what happened."

Elena put her wine glass down, afraid she might spill it in her exasperation. "No, Bonnie, I swear. _I don't have to sleep with him. _He told me himself." Elena attempted a smile to show that everything was okay.

Bonnie scoffed. "Of course he _told_ you that!" Bonnie was no longer trying to conceal her frustration, her tone raised. "He just doesn't want to get sued. But he'll probably make you sign some non-disclosure agreement and then you'll never be able to do anything about it, no matter how awfully he harasses you!"

Bonnie noticed Elena's gulp and again was able to read her mind. "You already signed one? Oh my god!"

Elena felt like a child being scorned. "That's where I just was." She mumbled sullenly. Bonnie threw her hands up in the air in response. "Bonnie, I swear, he's not a bad guy." But Elena's determined tone was fading by the second. Damon had made sense, perfect sense in fact, but now her roommate was, too.

"You're so smart, Elena. What could he have possibly said to make you so stupid?"

"I wasn't being stupid," Elena replied bitterly.

"God, don't you get it? He always gets what he wants and the thing he wants this time is to get inside your pants. And you fell for it, hook, line, and sinker."

Elena's anger was quickly transferring from herself to her roommate. "So, what, do you think I'm just going to be wooed by his charm and fall into bed with him? Like I can't control myself?"

Bonnie sighed. "No, it's just that-"

"Just what? And so what if I did? What if he was just a pompous, manipulating asshole? What if I did just decide to fuck him so I can get all of those things? Don't you get it? I'm _screwed_ if I don't take this. There's not another job in the world that could give me these kinds of benefits! I mean, he waited _years _to select a writer! Damon picked me because I'm damn good at what I do and he wouldn't just hire a good lay."

"Elena," Bonnie's tone had changed dramatically, now much softer and calmer. "I just want to make sure you're not getting screwed over. I mean, what if he sleeps with you, promises you all this grand stuff, and then he doesn't publish anything? Was there _anything_ in that contract that promised he'd publish your work?' Bonnie slowly approached her friend. "What if the reason he hasn't had his book done is because he's just spent all these years screwing with other girls?"

Elena's heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. Bonnie's way of thinking had never even crossed Elena's mind but now it was all she could consider. "Excuse me." Elena walked straight past her friend and rushed to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Once in the safety of her room, she kicked her shoes off and got as far under the covers as possible, a habit she'd yet to let go of from childhood.

"Elena! I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." Bonnie's profuse knocking interrupted her momentary silence. "Please just come out and we can rationally talk about this. Come on, Elz!"

But Elena wasn't going anywhere. She went even deeper under the comforter and cursed inwardly as she felt small tears form in her eyes. She felt the sharp digging of her phone in her shorts pocket and she was about to chuck it onto the floor when she noticed she had a message… from Damon. Tapping it open, all it contained was a smiley face.

_Turn the lights down low_

_Walk these halls alone_

_We can feel so far from so close_

Elena growled. She hated herself for her stupidity and naivety. She'd let a hot guy flirt her into submission and completely fell for his routine, a routine he'd probably played on countless other girls. She'd harshly judged that girl who she'd knocked into before the interview, but she was just as bad as she was. Damon was bad news and she hadn't cared, simply because she was flattered that he'd stared at her ass for far too long.

Before she could fully comprehend her actions, she hastily typed the word "No" into the messaging screen and pressed send, throwing her phone onto the floor and once again, burrowing deep under the sheets. Damon wasn't stupid. He'd know exactly what she meant by that text. But less than 30 seconds after she'd sent it, her phone went off with a reply.

Elena could still reach it without getting up, so she struggled her way towards it, half off the bed and half on it. She groaned picking it up off the floor and then wiggled her way back under the covers.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" She whispered. Staring at her was a frowny face. _That's all he had to say to her refusal? _God, she really was just another bed buddy for him, wasn't she? She knew deep down that she shouldn't respond but her anger prevented sensible texting.

_I'm serious, Damon. I changed my mind. It's a no._

Once again, the buzzing of her phone came seconds later. But this time it was not a text but a call. Oh heck no. There was no way in hell she was answering that. She was now disgusted by the sound of his voice and she especially didn't want to take the chance of being manipulated by his sweet talk. She let the phone ring through without so much as a second glance. Once the phone was done buzzing, a short ping was emitted from the phone, indicating that a text had been received. She exasperatedly grabbed her phone again.

_Pick up. I'm not stupid. I know you're not away from your phone, no matter how much that cute little voice in your message is telling me otherwise._

Seconds after reading it, her screen changed, her phone lighting up with his name again as he tried his second attempt at calling her. This time she just pressed ignore. He was already trying to manipulate her over text. God knows what he could do if she actually heard his deeply masculine voice, the one that instantly reminded her of sex. Elena smirked, hearing another message come through.

_Elena! Answer my damn call or I swear to you, I will come over to your house._

That text made Elena pause. She hesitated, but after seeing that, she had to know.

_Empty threat. You don't know where I live._

Elena hoped her statement was accurate. But knowing Damon...

_Internet, Ms. Gilbert. We should have a talk about privacy. You're terrible at keeping yourself unlisted. Your information could be found by a monkey with a router._

Elena's heart was pounding once again. She did not want him coming to the apartment. She hated admitting it, but she was terrified of what would happen if she saw those blue eyes again. Hell, she wasn't even sure if Bonnie's strength would last through a conversation with the infamous Salvatore. Before she could respond with a snarky text back, her phone lit up for the third time. She took a deep breath and pressed accept.

_Like ships in the night_

_You keep passing me by_

_We're just wasting time_

_Trying to prove who's right_

_And if it all goes crashing into the sea_

_If it's just you and me trying to find the light_

_Like ships in the night_

_You're passing me by_

_Like ships in the night_

"Really? You have that little of a life that you're willing to make house calls to a girl who's repeatedly rejected you?" Elena attempted to sound tough, but her voice was noticeably shaking.

"Why are you saying no to me?" His voice was serious, ignoring her attempt at deflection.

Elena huffed. "Because I can't trust you as far as I can throw you. Today, I had a momentary lapse in judgment. I apologize for wasting your time, but you will not get me to change my mind, Mr. Salvatore."

"God damnit, Elena. What do I have to do to get you to believe me? Wear a fucking chastity belt when I'm around you?"

Elena attempted to shake off the surprise at his response. "Damon, this isn't about that."

"Then what the hell _is_ it about? Please, Elena, enlighten me because right now you're the only one that knows."

Well, not the only one….

"What? Did you talk to someone about this?"

Crap, she'd said that last thought out loud. "Umm, just my roommate…" Now she really felt like a child getting into trouble.

"What part of non-disclosure agreement do you not understand?"

"I'm sorry, but I'd already discussed it with her prior to signing it. I couldn't just pretend this offer didn't exist and that there was no reasoning behind _disappearing_ for six months!"

"Umm, I think you could!"

"Damon, be serious! I didn't even tell her that much."

There was a slight pause and then, "I'm coming over right now."

"No, Damon!"

"Elena, I'm being serious. This is a serious issue and it's not a conversation to have over the phone!"

_Shit. _She'd screwed up hard. "Damon?" she questioned meekly.

"What?" His tone was harsh and unpleasant. She cringed upon hearing it.

"How much trouble am I in?" Her voice came out squeakily. Was she sincerely in trouble? She'd never broken a law in her life, except for the occasional session of speeding. She couldn't even fathom going to court. Oh god, could she go to jail?

But her over-analyzation was interrupted by laughter on the other end of the phone. Cocky Damon laughter to be exact. "I don't want to see you because of the contract! I want to see you because you're saying no. That's a far more serious issue to me."

Elena took a deep breath, once again surprised by his answer. "Fine, Damon, but not here."

Elena's eyes shot up as Damon entered the small coffee shop and headed straight for her table. It was fairly un-crowded, as it was later in the evening, so Elena had been able to pick a good spot right next to a window. Damon gracefully settled into the seat in front of her. He always seemed so relaxed, no matter where he was.

"Are you not ordering anything?" Elena asked, attempting to start the conversation.

"Nah, I didn't bring my extra card," he replied, leaning his forearms on the small table.

Elena's eyebrows crinkled. "Extra card?"

"Yeah, it's a card with a separate name on it. I pay with that when I don't particularly care to let the whole world know a Salvatore is in the building."

Elena couldn't fight the smile or the scoff that occurred after he said that.

"What? Do you not believe me?" Damon asked.

"I just think you're thinking a _bit_ too highly of yourself," Elena replied. "It's a crappy little coffee shop. If I can go my entire life barely hearing your name, I'm sure I'm not the only one. Besides, they would probably already have recognized you."

Damon smirked. "I'm a director. People don't remember a director's face. They remember his name. Especially when it's Salvatore."

Elena held her hands up in mock surrender but still maintained her dubious, teasing expression. She re-crossed her legs and took a sip of her drink.

"Alright," Damon replied. "I'm proving it to you."

"Go for it," Elena smirked back. "I'll be waiting right here, _Mr. Salvatore_." She made sure to say the last part loudly and he glared at her. She noticed that nobody even glanced up.

As he stood up and headed for the counter, she smiled, so ready to see him fall on his ass and embarrass himself. But to her dismay, she watched as he handed the barista his card and watched the girl's eyes light up and her mouth gape. She could hear the girl stammer out an "Oh hello, Mr. Salvatore" and even offered her hand to shake his. Elena's eyes bugged as she watched the girl practically spill the contents of his drink three different times because she didn't want to break eye contact. By the time Damon had come back to the table, the girl had already raced into the back to freak out and let the other employee know who she'd just served.

_Turn the lights down low_

_Walk these halls alone_

_We can feel so far from so close_

Elena stared down into her own drink, not wanting to face the now even cockier Damon sitting in front of her. She could see him in her peripheral vision leaned back in his chair, stirring his drink with that giant smirk on his face. "Oh, Elena," he said in a sing-songy tone. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah shut up, _Mr. Salvatore_." She attempted to wipe the smirk off with one last dig but it didn't faze him. He was practically bouncing in his chair. "If I was still writing this for you, I'd make sure to include 'always has to be right.'"

Her last statement made his face fall. Damon immediately sobered and his position went from cocky school boy to professional businessman doing anything he could to make the deal. "Elena, what can I give you that would make you take this job? What would make you say yes?"

"Damon, I don't need any more perks." It was true. She'd finally figured out the calculation while she was waiting for him. Fifty thousand dollars a week for six months equaled 1.2 million dollars. There were world-renowned authors that didn't make that kind of cash for a single book. On top of that money, the kind of money that could save Bonnie and Elena's asses for months, there were all the other miscellaneous perks. She knew she'd never want for a job or opportunity again if he published her work. But she needed to be sure that he would. She didn't want to become another one of his toys.

_Like ships in the night_

_You keep passing me by_

_We're just wasting time_

_Trying to prove who's right_

_And if it all goes crashing into the sea_

_If it's just you and me_

_Trying to find the light_

_Like ships in the night_

_You're passing me by_

_Like ships in the night_

"I need a contract," Elena spoke firmly, pushing her drink to the side. "There is no way in hell I'm spending six months on a booze cruise just for you to say my work's not good enough and you won't use it."

Damon smirked. "What makes you think we're going on a six month booze cruise?"

"Damon," she warned. "Be serious." This was the second time she'd uttered those words tonight.

"I am being serious, and a contract's out of the question."

"Then _I'm_ out of the question, Damon."

She could hear his growl. "God damnit, Elena. Why are you making this so difficult?"

"Because this isn't an _easy_ situation."

"Yes. It. Is. You write my book, you get paid. _It's a job_."

"If it's that simple, then give me a contract. Promise you'll publish my work."

"I can't do that! It's insane. You could write whatever shit you wanted about me, and you're telling me I'd _have _to publish it, declaring to the world that it's my own? Hell no."

"Do you really think I'd write utter bullshit? Damon, even if my name's not on the cover, the publishing world will know I wrote it, so I have a reputation to uphold as well. If I took this, I'd be the best damn writer I can possibly be. I wouldn't screw this up."

He was quiet for a moment. "Why are you so adamant about this contract, Elena?"

She bit her lip, questioning whether or not she should tell him the truth. He'd always seemed to be one hundred percent honest with her, if directly addressed. Why shouldn't she be so with him? "Because I'm concerned you've done this before, Damon."

"What do you mean by _this?_"

_And I'm gonna find my way_

_Back to your side_

"I have no clue how many times you've done this. I mean, do you just pick random girls, spend a nice vacation with them, have them work their asses off, and then never give them the benefits? You're years behind your 'brothers' when it comes to publishing your own and I can't tell if you're just using this to your advantage! I mean, a non-disclosure agreement could keep them-"

Before Elena could finish her rant, Damon was standing up. "Wait, what are you doing?" She asked.

His face showed his fury. He leaned in, attempting not to draw attention, but his close proximity allowed Elena to practically feel the heat of his anger.

"I don't know what the _fuck_ I can do to convince you that I'm a decent guy. I could tell you that you're the first girl I've asked to do this. I could tell you that I don't take advantage of girls like that because I understand what it means to have to work hard. I could tell you that I'm not planning on sleeping with a girl who's rejected me over five times in the past twenty four hours. I could tell you a lot of things. But you're so goddamned stubborn that all it will take is a slight breeze for you to be convinced that I'm an asshole again. So show up on Friday or not. I don't particularly care at this point. I'll just go alone for another summer and try to find someone next year that can mildly compare. But I'm not going to waste my time trying to prove you wrong." With that, Damon was out of the door in ten seconds flat and Elena was left nearly panting at the table alone.

_Like ships in the night_

_You keep passing me by_

_We're just wasting time_

_Trying to prove who's right_

_And if it all goes crashing into the sea_

_If it's just you and me_

_Trying to find the light_

_Like ships in the night_

_You're passing me by_

_Like ships in the night_

Damon swirled his bourbon around in the glass tumbler the jet company had so graciously provided. Drinking fine alcohol out of plastic cups seemed sacrilegious. He stared out the window at the tarmac, letting the calming sensation of having an entire plane to himself settle in. All of the rest of his group were taking separate planes at different times, but he was thankful for the peace and quiet. Those two words would definitely not be able to describe the six months ahead of him.

He reclined back in the leather chair. In front of him were various newspapers and entertainment consoles and throughout the trip, the flight attendants would pop in and out to offer him gourmet food. The flight would take about seventeen hours and he didn't want to waste all of his distraction options in the first few minutes so he simply settled into his chair and closed his eyes. Sleep was another thing he would definitely need for this trip.

But his descent into dreamland was quickly interrupted by a graceless plop into the chair next to him. But before he could even say "What in the fuck?" a musical and incredibly breathless voice rang in his ears.

"Never been on a private plane before." Damon opened one eye to see the brown-eyed tornado of crazy sitting next to him, looking around as though her actions weren't indicative of her need to go into a home. Her crap hit the ground with a solid thunk and she leaned forward to plop a grape into her mouth.

"How the-"

"You have some terribly shitty security, Mr. Salvatore. One quick flash of a document you signed and they let me right on board." She reclined in her chair, wearing a smirk indicating how proud she was of herself. "I swear, a monkey with a forged signature could get on this plane."

At that moment, the plane's engines revved and they were up in the air before Damon could sputter out anything other than nonsensical words.

Elena Gilbert had said yes.

**So what'd ya think? Are you terribly pissed at me that we didn't go right into the vacation part? Believe me, I'm super antsy to get to the trip section, but I just wanted to do this story justice and include what I think is an important clarification. But don't worry: the trip lasts six months so we'll have plenty of time to experience that aspect of the story. Also, where do you think they're going? I know I said I was going to include it in this chapter, but at this point, Elena doesn't even know. You'll learn first thing next chapter, but I gave you all a hint with the fact that their plane ride will last 17 hours. That is exact, so if you guys want to stalk a bit, you can figure out what location is seventeen hours away from LAX. Speaking of which, would you like me to start the chapter off with their landing or would you like some airplane angst? ;)**

**And finally: Do you think Elena was right in going with Damon or do you think D has some motives that are not so nice? **

**Alrighty, I have another question for you all. I just came up with ANOTHER story idea (I swear I have issues). I understand I'm only three chapters into this one, but would any of you all be interested in me trying to start another story and updating both at the same time? For those of you that write yourselves, I'd love your advice on the subject. I obviously don't want to get too behind on either story if I were to start both and wouldn't want to get overwhelmed, but the feeling when you get a really good story idea is craziness. It's a lot more like my other stories with the fact that it's mysterious and suspenseful. I guess I can never get too far away from it :)**

**Alright, I'm done wasting your time now. I'm at the beach all week so I have a gorgeous place to write and also receive all of those beautiful, fabulous reviews you all leave, so LEAVE THEM PLEASE. Keep up the phenomenal work!**

**love love love :) update should be up within a week.**


	4. Chapter 4: Can I Wake You Up

**Hello lovelies! Wow, so this chapter was insane to write****. I have some explaining to do so let me get it on out. First of all, you're probably noticing that this chapter is being uploaded a bit earlier than my normal schedule. That is because tomorrow morning at 6am, I will be in a van headed towards Kentucky for the week. I'm going on a mission trip and will be without a computer until Saturday. I am apologizing in advance because I may be a bit late in giving you all the fifth chapter as this next week gives me absolutely _no_ time to write. BUT I wanted to make sure I gave you all a chapter for this week and, just because you all are SO FABULOUS, I gave you a 6,000 word chapter which almost never happens (it's about double the size of a typical one). I hope this is okay with everyone.**

**I also want to apologize if the ending seems a little rushed. I've been swamped trying to pack and get ready for this trip and unfortunately had to rush out the last 1500 words or so of this chapter so I'm terribly sorry if it's crappy but it's awkward to write anyways so I'm glad I'm getting it out of the way so we can get into the meat of this story.**

**I'm incredibly thankful for all of your sweet, sweet reviews. You guys blow me away and I (fingers crossed) should be able to get phone service while in KY so please send them so I have some kind motivation while I'm away. (AN: I'm super nervous about this trip so all of your generosity will be helpful). Alright I'll shut up now and let you guys enjoy :)**

* * *

Chapter 4: Can I Wake You Up

_Can I wake you up_  
_Can I wake you up_  
_Is it late enough_  
_Is it late enough_  
_There's a story in which my eyes shut_

"No! Please, wait!" Elena yelled, running as fast as her woven wedges would allow. She cursed herself for wearing them as they weren't exactly the most ideal travel shoes, but she'd wanted to pack them and her suitcases had been far too full to add another pair. So she'd been obligated to wear the bulky bastards.

She reached the stairs leading up to the jet, stairs that were starting to be pushed away. "No, wait. I'm supposed to be on this plane!"

A highly confused looking worker who was pushing the stairs away by hand stopped his movements, but looked at her dubiously. "This is a private plane, ma'am."

Elena panted, attempting to get the words out. "I understand, but I'm still supposed to be on it. Mr. Salvatore can vouch for me."

The man's gaze suddenly changed from confused to understanding. Elena breathed a sigh of relief until he started speaking again.

"I see. Well, I'm sure Mr. Salvatore would love to meet one of his fans, but he's on vacation at the moment and will be back shortly."

Elena scoffed. "Believe me, I'm not a fan." But she nearly yelped when the stairs started moving away again. "No, sir, please." She scrambled in her brain for proof that she wasn't a crazy person, praying the plane wouldn't start to take off. "How could I have even gotten onto the tarmac if I wasn't on the list?" She assumed Damon had put her on the list right when she'd signed on for the job and just forgotten to take her off. She also assumed he'd forgotten to call back the car company that had shown up at her doorstep to take her to the airport. He definitely wasn't expecting her. Or maybe he was. Maybe he was just hoping all along that she'd go through with it.

"Honey, I've worked at LAX for fourteen years. I've seen my fair share of crazies who would do just about anything to meet their idols. Having one of you on the tarmac… well let's just say it's not my first day in the rodeo."

Elena growled, and started digging through her two-toned structured handbag. "What about this?" she inquired. She dug out a huge, bulky stack of documents and chucked it at the man who had, gratefully, stopped pushing. He looked at her inquisitively, and then began to rifle through the contract. The contract Damon had sent her on Tuesday with his big, fat signature in multiple locations.

"Doesn't look like your typical autograph, now does it?" Elena replied, a little haughtily.

The man cocked his head back up at the brunette. "I'm assuming you're Elena Gilbert?"

"Yes!" Elena nearly shouted. "Here," she dug through the bag once again and ripped open her wallet, tugging out her ID and handing it to him. "Oh, and.." She drug the last word out as she rifled through the crevices of the bag and finally pulling out her passport that had fallen towards the bottom. "Do you need any more proof?"

The man smirked at her a bit and scanned her, obviously considering her in a new light. "So you're the new Original girl?"

So this guy knew his shit. "Oh, don't give me that look. Just please, God, let me on that plane before it flies away."

The guy considered her and the documents for a moment before taking a deep sigh and shoving the papers back into her hands. "Alright, alright. Let's go." Elena squealed, clapping her hands together.

"Got any bags, ma'am?" He asked, wheeling the stairs back towards the door.

"Do I ever." She noticed the airplane attendant was no longer paying attention to her, but now rapidly speaking into his walkie-talkie. Elena grinned, realizing he was informing the pilot he had another passenger. She whipped around and motioned to her driver to open the trunk. She rushed back to the car and helped the man get out her obscene amount of luggage and guided it to the attendant who had reopened the hatch to load it in.

Once she was absolutely positive that everything was in order, she tipped both the driver and the attendant, even though they attempted to refuse it. But Elena had been far more generous in the past week with her money, knowing that in the next few weeks she'd be rolling in it. She stepped up the push-away stairs and was greeted by an almost model-like flight attendant that instantly made Elena feel insecure. She was sure that Damon had specially selected the women himself and a little shiver of disgust ran through her. The woman slowly opened a door that led out into the main cabin, letting Elena step in front of her.

Elena had to hold back a gasp when she saw the inside of the plane. It was incredible. It looked more like a high-class lounge than a plane. Of course, she'd seen the occasional TV special on how the other side lived, but actually being in one caused her heart rate to increase ten-fold. It could probably seat about twelve, so Damon sitting in the one chair in the center made him look almost… vulnerable.

Elena felt sympathetic for a moment, but quickly changed her mind. This was one of the very few times she had the upper hand in a situation with Damon, where she had the control. His eyes were closed and he'd yet to acknowledge her presence so she assumed that he had no idea she was here. Elena took a deep breath, letting herself get over the luxury of the plane and strutted right into the seat next to him.

Of course, because it was her, her strut ended with a nice old trip right into the seat. The toe of her shoe caught in the soft carpeting and she had to throw all of her body weight into the seat in order to not smash her face into anything. Thankfully, she landed in a somewhat orderly position and managed to look partially put together as she witnessed his eyes shoot open.

"Never been on a private plane before," she managed, pushing herself over to the small coffee table in front of them and grabbing a grape, pretending that she'd been planning on making that move the entire time. In fact, it was the only thing that she could do to make that graceless plop into the seat look natural.

Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice her mistake, far more awestruck on the fact that she was there. "How the-"

"You have some terribly shitty security, Mr. Salvatore. One quick flash of a document you signed and they let me right on board." Elena smirked, thrilled that she could tease him for a change. She leaned back, holding back a moan as she felt just how comfortable the seat was. "I swear, a monkey with a forged signature could get on this plane."

As the plane finally started its ascent, Elena took some more time to glance around as Damon managed his shock. The main cabin was incredibly spacious with doors leading to the front where the flight attendants and pilots were and to the back where she assumed a restroom was located. There were about ten or twelve different seats akin to the ones Damon and Elena were sitting in, scattered around the main area. Tables with assorted magazines, newspapers, and fruit bowls were located in front of the seats and a small bar was towards the back. Obviously, the plane was used for small parties. There were also screens and gaming consoles. The inordinate amount of storage in the cabin probably lead to even more interesting accessories. Elena took her notebook out quickly. She had no clue what direction she wanted to go in with this book, but she wanted to make sure every detail was recorded in case she forgot.

A loud clearing of the throat caught her attention. "Thank you for joining me, Ms. Gilbert." Elena turned and looked at the now far more put together Damon. He looked like he was straight out of a Mad Men episode, glass tumbler filled with brandy in hand and an incredibly well-fitting suit on his frame that covered an even more spectacular body. Elena had to hold back a cough when she realized that she was thinking about what was under the suit. _Remember his personality, _Elena reminded herself. _His awful, unattractive personality._

"Thank you for the contract, Mr. Salvatore," Elena smirked. Tuesday afternoon, Elena had come back from another interview to a wonderful-smelling apartment and an apologetic roommate. While they'd been discussing the craziness of the past few days, they were interrupted by the arrival of a deliveryman with a large manila envelope. Elena had gasped when she'd seen its contents. The contract had been incredibly well-written, stating that as long as nothing was defamatory or slanderous, the work was required to be published. It even stated that a non-biased third party would be the one to determine whether it had an offensive nature, so that Damon couldn't be oversensitive. Even Bonnie had difficulty finding any flaws, finally settling on "Well, he's still an asshole."

It had taken Elena a few days to decide exactly what she wanted to do, but she found herself packing her suitcases all day Thursday. She'd taken almost her entire wardrobe as the trip was sixth months and she had no idea what the climate would be. Her adventurous nature felt a rush every time she realized she was going to an unknown location for half of a year and partying with some of the richest of Hollywood's royalty. But her sensible nature caused the nerves in waves, nerves that made her sit down on her bed and rethink her decision a million times over.

"You're welcome," Damon replied. "After reconsidering it, I realized a contract could benefit both of us." The contract now had the rules Damon had given her in bold print, rules Elena now was legally bound to. That had given her reason to turn it down, but she knew Damon Salvatore rarely compromised and she didn't want to test her luck. A guaranteed deal of a lifetime of wealth and fame was something that just wasn't easy to turn down.

Damon took a sip of his drink before continuing. "But I don't appreciate the name calling. I accepted it when you were trying to provoke me whilst making this deal but you know I don't care to be called Mr. Salvatore. As my employee, I expect better manners."

Elena glared at him. "Now, I don't recall that rule on that fancy contract of yours. You promised me a book deal, but I'm doing it my way."

Elena realized after she said it that it was a mistake. She shouldn't wave the contract in his face, especially since he'd been so unwilling to give it. Damon smirked, catching her in her error.

"You're right, but you did commit to staying with me for sixth months. And if you piss me off, I have no issue with making your life and your stay a living hell. I could make it practically impossible to stay with me for the duration of the trip. I mean, you barely tolerate me now and I've been playing nice."

Elena gulped, realizing the threat she'd just made. The realization hit her like a brick. All this week she'd witnessed business Damon, let's make a deal Damon. Now she was about to witness six months of party Damon. Drunk Damon, horny Damon, and high Damon. _How different could he actually be?_ she wondered. The answer to that question scared her.

"Fine, I'm sorry," she replied timidly. "Thank you for the contract, _Damon._" She returned to noting all of the plane's attributes in her notebook.

"Thank you," Damon smiled, finishing his drink and placing the empty glass on the coaster. "Now why in God's name are you writing in that shitty notebook?"

Elena whipped her head back up at him. "Because, you gave me a job to do. So I'm writing down details."

"I haven't told you anything of value."

"Well, I'm _sitting_ in something of value and I'm writing it down so I can remember." He cocked his head in confusion. "The plane, Damon. You own it. I'm just writing down the details."

Damon growled. "You're not writing a book about my plane. You're writing it about me."

Elena's skin flushed in frustration. "I'm aware of that, Damon, but I also was taught that you can never record too much. I need to get in the habit of recording what I see so I can provide the best biography possible. Alright?" Damon nodded his head in approval, but Elena was already planning on writing a chapter on how he used large, expensive purchases to compensate for something that wasn't quite so large.

"Have you ever heard of a laptop, Elena?" Damon asked a few minutes later.

"I brought a laptop. I just know you're not supposed to use electronic devices until we're far enough up in the air."

Damon scoffed. "That's only on commercial air travel. Besides, those rules are a bunch of bullshit anyways. Take out your damn laptop so I don't have to hear those awful pen scratches anymore."

Elena let out an exasperated sigh. She was trapped with this man on an airplane for god knows how long and she was about to kill him after only twenty minutes or so. She was about to pull out her laptop and make her key clacks extra loud when an idea formed in her head. She whipped out her digital camera instead as Damon grabbed a newspaper in front of him.

Elena stood up and began walking around the cabin. After the first click of the camera, she heard a groan.

"Elena, please tell me you aren't a camera girl."

"What does that entail?" She asked, spinning around.

"A camera girl. Someone who has to document every second of their lives."

Elena let out a dry chuckle. "No. It's easier for me to take pictures of places so that I can just look at the photos and record the details later if necessary. No annoying pen scratches for you."

He turned back to his newspaper and Elena stared at him. His eyebrow was furrowed in concentration as he read the finance section. She noticed his clean-shaven jaw line, clenched as though he were reading something stressful. Elena lifted the camera up slowly and snapped a picture.

Damon didn't flinch. "If you take another picture of me ever again, I will throw your fucking camera on the ground and burn it. Do you understand me?"

Elena bit her lip. "Umm, yeah, of course. Sorry." Elena actually did feel a bit apologetic for her actions. She knew that some people didn't care to have their picture taken and she hadn't even asked permission. She watched as he rubbed his forehead with his free hand. "What are you reading?"

"Just an article on this failing company. A company which, unfortunately, I hold stock in." He picked up the iPhone next to him and dashed a quick note, most likely reminding himself to sell.

Elena contemplated him for a moment and then tossed the camera onto one of the adjacent chairs. "Damon? Aren't you on vacation?"

Damon looked up, attempting to hold a glare, but there was also a flash of guilt. As though he'd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Yes, of course. But I also have some time to kill and there isn't much to do on this plane."

Elena glanced around the cabin and then smirked. She whipped her coral blazer off her shoulders and undid the fastenings on her wedges, leaving her in only a white t-shirt and teal skinny jeans. She could feel Damon's stare on her as she headed to the first set of cabinets she saw and began yanking them open. Each one held something different: books, silverware, blankets. Finally, she reached one with an enormous stereo and music system. "Perfect,' she murmured.

She picked the first CD she recognized and pressed it in. She began to laugh hysterically as the first sounds of "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac began playing through the speakers. She began to spin around on her bare feet, swinging her hips in a lazy manner. She assumed the anti-anxiety medication she'd taken earlier to ease her nerves was causing her to act so foolish but she didn't think twice about it.

But she had barely gotten four feet from the speakers with her dancing when the music was abruptly cut off. "Damon," she whined. "Isn't the whole point of vacation to have fun?"

"Yes, Elena. It is," he replied. She noted his close proximity, only a foot away from each other. "But _you're_ not on vacation. I am."

Elena gulped. "Fine. Sorry, I forgot. No fun for little old Elena." She expected a smile but instead she noticed his gaze was directly on her chest. She moved her arms to shield herself from his gaze.

"Put your blazer back on," he said firmly, his eyes finally meeting hers.

"Umm, why? It's kind of hot in here," Elena blushed, suddenly remembering those lovely lyrics. Just because it was getting hot in here did not insinuate she was going to be taking off all of her clothes.

"Well, then you should of thought of that before you wore a black lace bra under a completely see-through white top. I'll tell them to put the AC on, but put your damn jacket back on." With that, Damon settled back in his chair, but not before handing her the crumpled up blazer.

Elena gulped. The only reason she'd worn the black bra was because all of her others were packed. She hadn't thought twice about it. "I'm sorry it's such a bother to you," she huffed, shoving her forgotten jacket back on her shoulders. "Guess I should add to the rules: don't do anything mildly sexual around Damon. Maybe I can cut up some garbage bags once we get there to wear around the house."

Damon growled at her sarcastic reply. "Look, excuse me for trying to be a gentleman." His next reply was far quieter. "I haven't gotten laid in weeks."

Elena blushed at the remark, her thoughts immediately going to inappropriate places. She settled back into the chair next to him and dug through her bag for her phone. Pressing a button, she said, "Hasn't been laid in weeks."

"Elena!" He nearly yelled, grabbing for the phone. Elena's hysterical laughter began again as she swiveled the chair so that the back was facing him.

"I'm just screwing with you," she giggled. "I didn't record anything!" Elena yanked the actual recorder out of her bag.

Damon's glare faded as his own soft laugh broke through his typically stoic and snarky features. Elena smiled more, recognizing that she liked happy Damon. Happy Damon was far more fun. Maybe she'd get to see more of him in the next few months.

"Speaking of which, can I start now?" Elena asked after their laughter had died down.

"Start what now?" Damon asked.

"Just some preliminary questions. Get some starting off points that I can begin to work with. Nothing _too_ hardcore and revealing," she replied, a twinkle in her eye. A small part of her cursed herself for feeling so content, but for some unexplainable reason, she was.

"Sure," Damon settled back in his chair, thanking the flight attendant who came in practically unnoticed to hand him another glass.

"Alright," Elena replied, pressing the red button on the small machine and relaxing into her own chair. "Full name?"

"Damon Marco Salvatore."

"Birthdate, including year?"

"June 28th, 1984."

Elena's head shot up. "Your birthday was yesterday?"

Damon's face held a half-smile. "It's fine. I'm not a big birthday person."

Elena stuttered, completely shocked. "If I'd known…"

"You would have what?" Damon asked dubiously.

"I don't know, given you a card or something…"

The half-smile reappeared. "Really, Elena. I could care less. Keep going."

So he'd just turned twenty-eight. Interesting. There were only five years between the two, yet she felt like it was ages. All the talk about birthdays had reminded Elena that her own birthday would be falling during their extended vacation. She was a big birthday person so the idea of not celebrating it made her kind of sad.

"Alright," she continued. "Relationship status?"

"As single as they come."

"No prior marriages or long-standing relationships?"

"Nothing worth writing about."

Elena rolled her eyes. "You're telling me you're going to deny the women of America the opportunity to hear about your highly romantic love life."

Damon smirked, pleased with her snark. "You're writing a book about my life, Elena. Not my love life. Like I said: nothing to report."

Elena doubted that and the idea of not including anything about it, not even something small like a third-grade crush disappointed her. She settled with digging into it more once she'd grown more comfortable with him.

"Religious views?"

"Cradle Catholic. Occasionally, I indulge, but nothing major."

"Alright. Members of your immediate family, go."

"My father, Giuseppe Salvatore is 58. My mother, Viviana, is 56. I have one brother, Stefan, who's 19."

Elena's eyes bulged out. "Doesn't he already have a movie under his belt?"

"Yeah, he's a prodigy. When you're a Salvatore, you start young. That's why he's already has his biography done. People are amazed by him," Damon replied, a small smile appearing on his face.

Elena smiled a bit too, seeing the genuine love he had for his brother. For some reason, she'd assumed there would be tension between the two but Damon's expression showed no such sign.

"Alright, were you born in LA?"

"Beverly Hills, my dear," he smirked.

"Pardon me," Elena rolled her eyes and Damon chuckled in response.

"Did you go to college?" Elena asked.

"Yes, the University of Southern California and then to the American Film Institute to get my masters." Elena pursed her lips in surprise. She didn't expect him to have such an incredible educational background. "Don't look so surprised. I directed at least three movies during that time."

"Alright, two more. What is your favorite quote?"

That one stumped Damon for a moment. He leaned back and stared at the ceiling, thinking deeply. And then all of a sudden, he began speaking.

"Some moment happens in your life that you say yes right up to the roots of your hair, that makes it worth having been born just to have happened. Laughing with somebody 'til the tears run down your cheeks. Waking up to the first snow. Being in bed with somebody you love… Whether you thank God for such a moment or thank your lucky stars, it is a moment that is trying to open up your whole life. If you turn your back on such a moment and hurry along to business as usual, it may lose you the ball game. If you throw your arms around such a moment and hug it like crazy, it may save your soul."

Elena noticed that she'd become entranced with his words as he spoke. He'd neither faltered nor stuttered during his extended speech, just staring out into the empty space and repeating as though he'd said it a thousand times. But the way he looked now, vulnerable and open, made her believe the only times he'd said it aloud had been to himself.

"That's beautiful. Where did you hear that?" Elena asked after a few silent moments.

"I'm not sure of its exact origins, but my mother used to say it to me whenever I felt upset as a kid. I hated it every time she told me, covered my ears and yelled…. But now I love it. Reminds me of why I do what I do."

Elena cocked her head, still amazed by the turn the conversation had taken. "Can you explain?"

"I want to give people those moments through my films. If they can't find them in their own lives… I'd hope they'd discover them in my work."

Elena and Damon were both caught in a deadlocked stare, neither moving, flinching nor blinking. Just entranced in the other. After a few moments, Elena coughed and turned off the recorder.

"I thought you said you had two more for me," Damon asked, nearly sounding disappointed. "That was only one."

"Yes, but my final question doesn't need to be recorded." Elena dropped the recorder in her bag and Damon crossed his arms over his chest, curious. "Where in the absolute fuck are we going?"

Damon laughed. "We are flying into Lyon and then we will be driven into the Alps. We've bought out a cottage there for the duration of the trip."

Elena's eyes bulged. She'd expected some place tropic, not snowy. She was grateful she'd brought nearly her entire wardrobe and not just her bikinis. "How long will that take us?"

"The flight is about seventeen hours, so…" With that, Damon stood up and began walking towards the back of the plane. "I'll be taking a nap." She watched as Damon opened a door that led to an extensive bedroom and then shut it behind him so that she was left alone in the spacious cabin.

Elena's breath caught. This was going to be one long and confusing trip.

* * *

They'd been driving for over an hour (well, their driver had been driving for over an hour. She and Damon were in the backseat) when they pulled up to an overwhelmingly beautiful ski lodge. For Damon to refer to it as a cottage was a massive understatement. It was enormous and took up an exorbitant amount of land, standing tall against the breathtaking French Alps. Both she and Damon got out onto the circular driveway and as Damon told the driver where he wanted their luggage, Elena gaped at the stunning architecture of the substantial wrap-around porch.

She felt Damon whisk past her and up the large stairs towards the double doors with stained glass windows that caused her to be unable to see inside. They were only waiting a few moments before they were suddenly greeted by a grinning guy who looked to be about college age. He had light brown hair, green eyes, and a smile that lit up his entire face when he saw who was at the door. Without any words, she watched as the younger guy grabbed Damon in a tight embrace and both were grinning from ear to ear. Ahh... this had to be Stefan.

"And this is…" Stefan asked, after separating from his brother. She could tell he hadn't been expecting her. Neither had Damon to be fair, so she was sure that she was going to be a shock to everyone else who was staying at the house.

"This is Elena Gilbert, my new employee and soon-to-be author of my biography." Elena, for some odd reason, felt a bit put out by his formal introduction but she shook herself out of it. He'd introduced her perfectly. There was no reason to be upset.

Stefan grinned. "Jesus Christ, finally." He held out his hand for Elena to shake. "We never thought this day would come." Elena smiled as well, finding it humorous that Stefan almost sounded like a mom whose son had brought home a girl for the first time.

"Well, come on, let's get inside before you guys sweat to death," Stefan said quickly, moving aside so they could step in. "All of the locals are saying they haven't had a heat wave like this in ages." Elena was happy she could get into the air conditioned house. Her blazer and jeans combo was smart for the cool plane, but not for summer heat.

"Good," Damon replied. "The hotter the summer, the better the winter."

"Agreed," Stefan smiled. "Alright, let's get all of the introductions out of the way so that we don't have to deal with them later." They walked through the enormous foyer covered in expensive artwork and a hand woven rug and made their way into the living area. The room held huge bookcases and a large flat-screen TV that was playing Bridesmaids. A dark-haired girl who looked even younger than Stefan, if it was possible, stood up from the couch and crossed her arms over her chest, looking none too pleased at their arrival.

"I didn't realize we invited whoever we wanted from the playground to join us," Elena heard Damon snarl behind her.

The girl rolled her eyes. "I'll be 19 this month, Damon," she hissed back.

Elena tried to contain her shock. What in the hell was an 18 year old doing here?

"God, chill out. Both of you," Stefan snapped. "You've only been here for five minutes and there's already unnecessary drama. Anna," Stefan addressed the girl. "This is Elena. She'll be writing Damon's book."

Anna's harsh features softened as she greeted Elena. "It's so nice to meet you. Finally, Damon made a fucking decision for once. I wrote Kol's biography."

Elena's shock rose to a whole other level. Now she recognized the girl: Anna Rogers. She had yet to publish anything else, but the girl was getting tons of buzz, everybody waiting for what she would write next. But Elena was still flabbergasted at her age.

As though Stefan was reading her mind, she heard him say, "Anna met Kol at the high school we attended back in LA. It's a school for the highly gifted and talented." _Of course_, Elena thought. _Another prodigy_. Was she in a house full of geniuses?

Before Bonnie and Damon could share any more barbs, Stefan led Damon and Elena into the sitting room adjacent. Elena's gaze got lost in the beautiful views from the window on the back of the house that went floor-to-ceiling and showcased their incredible spot on the mountains. She couldn't even fathom how gorgeous it would be with the snow. But Elena's attention went back to the room they were now in and she was confronted with a gorgeous blonde who looked to be only the slightest bit older than Stefan. She was heavily immersed in a fashion magazine, pen in hand circling her favorite items.

"Hello, Caroline," Damon's tone was alluring and once again Elena felt put out. She really had to shake that.

"Wow, look who it is," Caroline smirked from her position at the table and uncrossed her legs so she could walk towards Damon and give him a hug. "You must be Elena," she smiled and greeted the brunette.

"How did you know about me?" Elena asked, confused.

Damon interrupted. "Caroline has excellent hearing. It can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but, very rarely, it comes in handy."

Caroline gave a pointed look to Damon. "Yeah, well, that just means that somebody needs to watch their words." Elena felt her shoulders relax subconsciously as she realized the tension between the two was far more familial than romantic.

Caroline tucked her hair behind her ears and headed back to her magazine. "Klaus will be happy you're here," she said.

Elena felt Damon's breath in her ear. "Caroline was Klaus' writer. And we've been blessed with her presence ever since."

"Oh, hush. You boys are lucky to have me around."

"Yes we are," Stefan replied almost flirtatiously. "This girl knows how to throw a party."

"I do indeed," Caroline's grin was infectious and caused Elena's own mouth to rise in a semi-smile.

"Where is Klaus, anyways?" Damon asked.

"He's in the kitchen, pretending he's a food god or something," Caroline replied, looking down at the glossy pages.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Damon shouted and Elena watched as he darted through the room towards what must be the kitchen. Elena noticed Caroline's smirk as though she'd been purposeful in provoking his reaction.

Stefan ushered Elena to follow in Damon's tracks. "Damon and Klaus get highly territorial over who can cook the best. We should probably go make sure there isn't any bloodshed."

Elena had to hold back another gasp when they entered the kitchen. It was massive as well(most likely a requirement by the two dueling brothers) and held almost every kitchen tool known to mankind. It was about the size of an industrial restaurant style kitchen, but it was decorated far more beautifully. Klaus and Damon were quasi-fighting near the center island, Damon desperately trying to stop Klaus' whisking actions.

"Bro, you know I call the first week," Damon shouted.

"Yeah, well _somebody_ decided to show up late so _somebody_ lost that privilege," Klaus replied back in a smooth British accent. Elena would have been worried about their fighting, but each "brother" had large grins on their faces, obviously showing that it was purely boys being boys.

They stopped their wrestling over the bowl once Klaus recognized Elena's presence. He strolled over to her and lifted the back of her hand to his lips to press a kiss on it. Elena felt a faint blush hit her cheeks as she awkwardly pulled her hand back. "Who is this gorgeous young woman?"

Damon was muttering over whatever concoction Klaus had created and barely lifted his head up when he replied, "Elena, Klaus. Klaus, Elena."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear," Klaus replied. "I'm assuming you're going to honor us with your presence because of that nifty biography deal?"

Before Elena could respond, Caroline spoke, obviously having snuck in earlier. "Yep, she's the newest Original girl." The way she said it made Elena note a hint of disgust in her tone. Obviously, she wasn't a big fan of the moniker. Caroline made her way over to Klaus and flung her arms around his neck, pecking him softly on the lips. Elena had to hide her smile after seeing their soft gazes. Obviously, the two were in love.

Stefan interrupted their moment. "Where's the rest of the gang?"

Caroline turned her head to face him. "Elijah, Katherine, and Kol all went out to explore the town. I have no clue where your girlfriend is."

"Lexi's probably tanning," Stefan replied and then turned to address the newest arrivals. "You can meet her later. Damon, do you want to see where you're staying?"

Damon was now throwing his own ingredients into the mix. "No, I have to fix this absolute shit Klaus made. Just show Elena where she can stay. I can find my room later."

Klaus growled. "You wouldn't know good food if it bit you in the ass, Damon."

The two began to argue again, so Stefan just sighed and guided Elena through another door so that they could head back towards the main staircase. "There are a ridiculous amount of rooms in this lodge so I have no doubt we have space for you, no matter how unexpected," he commented with a twinkle in his eye as they ascended the stairs. "But I'll try to get you as far away from Damon as possible."

Elena giggled. "Thank you for your generosity," she shot back. It felt weird speaking when she'd spent so long just observing.

The pair wound through so many halls, Elena became worried that she would get lost. Finally, they stopped at a large wooden door near the end of one of the hallways. "Caroline already scouted out all the rooms. She told me this one's pretty girly so I'm sure you'll be fine in here."

"Girly? As opposed to?"

Stefan chuckled. "As opposed to sleeping in a room where the heads of countless dead animals stare you down."

"Ahh," Elena sighed. "Well, thank you for the consideration."

"No problem," Stefan replied. Elena could already tell she liked him. Although she knew he was only 19, he seemed far more mature than his age suggested. "Well, I'll let you get settled in and I'll go make sure Damon and Klaus haven't killed each other yet. You can come back down whenever you're ready."

"Thanks," Elena replied as Stefan walked away, leaving her alone in front of the wood door. Elena took a deep breath, calming herself down from the whirlwind of new information she'd just gotten. After feeling a bit more in control, she pushed open the door to her new home.

**So what do we think? Again I apologize over all of the information I had to shove in here. There's just so much to learn and we haven't even met the whole cast of characters. I loved writing the airplane fun between the two but for those of you that don't like this "soft" Damon, don't fret. Damon has on a mask right now that will quickly be shed once he's around his fellow Originals. So any theories? Was it as depressing to you that Damon's birthday was only the day before? :( Who's your favorite Original so far? Least favorite?**

**Again I'm sorry this is so short, but like I said, I'm stressed and anxious out of my mind right now. I do hope to have a new chapter up as soon as possible, but it will be difficult given my circumstances for the next few days. I love you all and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review. I would love to see those fantastic reviews (if it's 3 words or 30) while I'm out doing mission work.**

**love love love :)**


	5. Chapter 5: Find Your Way

**Alright so who wants to kill me? I will start out this chapter with my deepest apologies. I am terribly sorry that this chapter took me two weeks to upload. I deserved every bit of nagging I got in the comments. I will try to defend myself by saying that I mentioned in the previous chapter that I would have some difficulty as an entire week of writing was cut out for me with my mission trip, but I did post this chapter later than I thought I would and for that, I am at fault. I was cursed with awful writer's block and a panic attack over the direction of this story, but thankfully, I whipped my brain into shape and received some inspiration. Because of that inspiration and the fact that I feel extremely guilty, you all are getting the longest chapter yet. I kept saying "Maybe I should stop it here" but then I went "No. My readers are way too awesome and deserve a long chapter." So here it is. :)**_  
_

**Now I want to have a little discussion about reviews. Don't fret. This isn't a "GIVE ME MORE REVIEWS" rant or anything. Actually you guys have gone above and beyond with reviews and for that I'm very grateful. I want to actually apologize to you all for basically never ever responding to your sweet comments. It took me about two months into this whole Fanfiction writing process to realize "Oh hey. I'm actually supposed to reply to reviews." Because of that, I've never really developed the habit of sitting down and typing out replies to every one of you awesome people. I'll start responding, get to one or two of you, and then get distracted by something shiny and completely neglect the rest. I'm aware that it's the custom to PM you all back and it amazes me that even though I rarely do, I still get the most fabulous reviews every week. So thank you times a million for your patience. I will try my absolute hardest to respond to each and every one of your comments this week, especially since there are people who get way more reviews than me who manage to do it. But seriously, you guys rock. The fact that I have this many reviews already on a story that's only five chapters in is awesome. Keep it up.**

**Okay, fine. I'll stop talking so you guys can get to the stuff you actually want :p**

* * *

Chapter 5: Find Your Way

_Open your heart, open your soul, _  
_And let me slide on in._

Elena stepped into the exquisitely decorated bedroom with a dropped jaw. She should have been able to expect the beauty of it, but for some reason, she'd assumed the "servant's quarters" would be a lot less fancy. She'd been wrong.

The walls were painted a pure cream, the room filled with light unlike the more dark and woody lower floor. On top of a large grey bed against the left wall was a blue floral duvet with at least five different pillows. There were two round nightstands on either side of the bed, each with their own glass lamp and stack of varied books. Two candles were lit on each as well. She dropped her purse on the floor and walked across the room to the window on the far wall. She didn't have the same picturesque view of the back as the living room did, but the view of the front of the house was still serene and private. She noted the comfortable grey chair in the back right corner and the small television on the boudoir across from the bed on the opposing wall.

Elena moved to explore the two other doors that led to different areas. The one on the right wall led to a walk-in closet, completely empty for her to put in her own items. She entered the other to find her own personal bathroom. It held a single sink, one incased in beautiful marble and set upon a dark wooden base. Above it was a matching recessed mirror and medicine cabinet. The shower was a tiled walk-in with glass doors on all three sides. Elena quickly became thankful for the privacy of the room.

Well, she was definitely not living in squalor. Elena walked back into her room and flopped face first onto the bed. The exhaustion of her information-filled day was really hitting her at this point and she was desperate for a nice nap.

"Stefan would find the one room without a desk." The deeply male voice behind her made Elena's heart jump in her chest. She quickly rolled over, hating to be caught in such a vulnerable position. She stood up and smoothed out her shirt. Glancing around the room, she noted that Damon was right: there was not a tabletop to be found.

"It's fine," Elena replied calmly. "It's called a _lap_top for a reason. I can work in bed… or on the chair."

Damon glanced at her for a silent moment before continuing. "No, you're getting a desk. I'll just bring one in from another room."

Elena took a deep breath. The motto of choosing your battles wisely would need to be repeated a few thousand times over the next six months. Fighting over a desk just wasn't worth it when she could practically feel the massive amount of disagreements to occur over her stay.

"Is there anything I need to do for you, Damon?" She was hoping to speed up the conversation so she could get back to that nap as soon as possible.

"Nope," he replied, popping the "p" at the end of the word. "I was just checking to make sure you were comfortable in your new room. You do have to live in it for awhile."

"Yes, of course," Elena smiled back. She had to hold back a full grin, laughing at the idea that this room could be anything but amazing. "Nicer than my own back at home."

"Well, that's not surprising," Damon replied without a hint of a joke. Elena's smile turned to a frown at the sudden lack of pleasantry in their conversation. Damon's good mood from earlier was clearly gone and she had a good sense that it was caused by her presence.

"You're going to need to be downstairs at seven." Damon interrupted her thoughts. "Dress cute."

Elena cocked her head in confusion. "Where are we going?"

Damon smirked, but his expression looked tired. "If only I knew. I'm sure it's a welcome party of some sort at a restaurant in the village.

A smirk of her own formed on her face. "A party? I thought you said that wasn't allowed."

Damon frowned in her direction. "Typically, no, but I've spent the past ten minutes being harassed over your making an appearance." Elena's smirk disappeared, upset that she would have to attend something at which Damon didn't want her. She was fairly sure his cranky attitude towards her would only make it worse. She said a quick prayer that the other Originals would make her feel more welcome. As he exited the room, she heard him sing out, "Bring your notebook."

Elena rolled her eyes once her door was safely closed. Like she was some sort of amateur. It didn't matter if she had a writing assignment or not. She always had a notebook with her. Whether she was writing down descriptions of people she saw or even jotting down quick story ideas, her notebook was always nearby, regardless of obnoxious pen scratches.

She checked her phone for the time and groaned when she realized she had almost no service. She hoped she'd be able to get some once in town, but she doubted it. Registering that she only had a scant amount of time before she'd need to go and also that she'd not yet showered, she knew she'd have to start now if she wanted to be ready in time.

Her suitcases were delivered to her shortly after Damon had left. She began to place things in their various areas, but chose not to organize too thoroughly knowing she still had to get ready. After locating her toiletries, she headed into the bathroom to take her shower and freshen up. The shower relaxed her enough that she felt far more prepared to handle whatever obstacles she'd more than likely have to face at the dinner. If Damon didn't want her there, so be it. She'd make sure to be friendly and amiable to all of the others so that she could make some friends. She would have to use all of those Southern manners she'd been raised with and be the perfect guest.

It took her over ten minutes to decide what to wear, a situation she rarely found herself in. She had to assume that the rich and fabulous weren't going to a place akin to Taco Bell and that Damon hadn't lied when he'd said to dress nicely. But what did "cute" mean, exactly? Was she expected to wear an evening gown? Or did nice jeans and a top work? After going back and forth in her head, she finally chose some floral tap shorts. She paired them with a simple, classic black top and a gold chain necklace. She shuffled through her things to locate some silver glittered cork wedge sandals. Heading back into her bathroom, she pulled out her curling iron and set it on its highest temperature, the only setting that seemed to create the ringlets she so desired. While waiting for it to heat, she gave herself a smoky eye and a nude lip.

Once she was fully done primping, Elena managed to check her phone and realized that it was about fifteen minutes until seven. Noting that she had some time to kill, she decided being early was better than being late. She contemplated bringing a bag large enough to hold her typical notebook, but none of her totes seemed to work with her outfit. She grabbed a black clutch instead, opting to toss a mini notebook she'd brought just in case of situations like these. Elena took a moment to open the fresh notebook and inhaled the fresh new scent. It was a comforting smell to her, one that had been a constant since she'd been able to pick up a pencil. Checking herself in the full-length mirror that hung on the back of the main door, she deemed herself somewhat worthy to be in the presence of the model-like girls that awaited her downstairs.

Elena wound her way through the hallways and worked her way until she reached the staircase. She attempted to go down the first step, but wobbled a bit in her platform shoes. She grasped the side railing and was working her way down when suddenly she was interrupted by a low whistle. Elena whipped her head around, and was faced with a man who looked much closer to Damon's age than the others did. He was handsome, but again, she'd grown to stop expecting anything different. His smile was small, nothing nearing the grins that Damon and Klaus had been sporting earlier. He was dressed in a well-fitting suit with his short brown hair casually spiked upwards.

He approached her, walking down the steep staircase with far more ease than she'd been able to accomplish. Holding out his hand, he spoke. "I don't believe we've met before." His voice was calm in a way that typically unsettled her, but his kind expression did away with any hesitation on her part. "I'm Elijah."

Elena mentally checked off his name from the list in her head. He was the eldest Original and won the prize for creating the most films out of the bunch. Elijah was also known for being the most calm and rational out of the brothers, his interviews always exuding tranquility and peace.

"It's great to meet you, Elijah," Elena replied, shaking his hand. "I'm Elena, Damon's writer."

"Yes, I spoke with Damon earlier today. We're happy to have you with us. And may I say, you look beautiful this evening."

Elena smiled back, thanking him politely. She felt as though she were speaking to someone from a past century, his words and accent aging him significantly. But there was still some boyish charm behind his eyes. Elena felt a sudden urge to want to interview every single one of the Originals, desperate to find out all of the different facets of _their_ personalities as well.

Elijah held out his arm for her to lead her down the stairs, obviously noting her struggle earlier. Once they made it into the wood-floored foyer, he excused himself and Elena leaned back against the wall. She knew she was early, but she assumed there would at least be _someone_ else nearby. Although the main floor seemed nearly deserted, she was sure Elijah was still on it and that others might be as well. It was far too expansive for her to know for sure. Elena was about to go explore when she was interrupted by the return of Elijah and another woman who was near the same age as Elena.

If she still had her mental lists right, this was Katherine, Elijah's writer. They were both far too caught up in their own conversation to notice Elena's gawking but it was hard not too. Once again, Elena had to feel self-conscious over her appearance. Katherine was stunning, akin to a model of sorts, and worst of all, she shared some of the same features as Elena did: dark brown hair and olive skin. Elena knew she'd spend the rest of the night trying to subtly smooth out her clothes and hair.

She heard Elijah's slight cough and realized that she'd been caught in her stare. Elena blushed, realizing she'd missed when their conversation had ended.

"Katherine, this is Elena," Elijah interjected, attempting to break the awkward silence that had formed. "Elena is Damon's writer and Katherine was mine." Elena briefly wondered if she would forever be introduced with the addition of Damon's writer at the end of her name.

Elena realized quickly that Katherine would not become her new best friend for life. The thin girl eyed Elena up and down and simply raised her hand in a half wave. "Hello, Elena. I'm surprised to see you here." Elena noted Elijah slightly nudging Katherine in the ribs. "And by that, I mean, we just thought Damon was never going to settle down and write his book. Well… have _you _write it, that is."

Elena had to hold back a bit of frustration at how condescending Katherine sounded. She herself had been just another Original girl a few years ago, yet she seemed to be looking down upon Elena for her position in the house.

"I'm going to run off and find Kol. I'm sure he's distracted by his own face in the mirror," Katherine said sharply, leaning over to kiss Elijah on the cheek and then clicking out of the room in her heels.

"I apologize for my fiancée's bad temper," Elijah spoke up. "She can be a bit distrustful of anyone who enters our little group. She was the first."

Elena smiled softly in his direction. "I didn't know you two were engaged. Congratulations."

Elijah's expression grew bashful. "Actually, you're one of the first to know. I'm not very good with keeping it a secret though. We're supposed to be announcing it sometime soon to the gang, but I've already let it slip to a flight attendant and a barista."

Elena giggled. "Well, then I guess tonight's dinner is a perfect opportunity for the two of you to announce it."

Elijah looked at Elena for a moment, and then let out a slight laugh. "I don't particularly think anytime this week is a good idea," he said covertly, as though he were letting out a secret.

Elena was about to question him on his tone when they both noticed the newest arrival to the foyer. A man a few years younger than Elena stepped in, the epitome of a guy who _knew_ he was hot. "Elijah, Elijah, Elijah. You simply must tell me when someone this stunning enters the house. Especially with those legs."

"Ahem, I'm right behind you." Elena noticed Anna rounding the corner hot on Kol's trail, digging through her purse.

"Oh, I'm fully aware of where you are," Kol said, spinning around so that Anna's distracted gaze caused her to smack straight into his chest. When she looked up to express her disapproval, Kol captured her lips in a steamy kiss, one so intimate Elena could only look at it for a few seconds.

Thankfully, the kiss was interrupted by another couple's arrival into the room. "Oh, knock it off, you two," a blonde said sharply, a look of disgust on her face. She had entered with Stefan so Elena deduced that she must be Lexi. "We are not spending the next six months watching you two give each other tongue baths."

"It's not my fault Anna's got those crazy teenage hormones," Kol laughed as Anna smacked him across the chest. Elena realized the whole age thing was a joke that was heavily used with Anna but not thoroughly appreciated by the girl herself.

"Well, Stefan and I are both nineteen and we can somehow manage to keep the raging hormones to ourselves, thank you very much." Lexi's tone changed once she noticed Elena's presence in the room. "Stefan, why don't you introduce me to the fresh meat?" Thankfully, the nickname didn't sound bitter coming out of her mouth.

"Elena, this is Lexi. Lexi, this is..." Before Stefan could continue, Lexi had already crossed the foyer and reached Elena's side.

"Damon's writer, I know, I know. I'm not an idiot," Lexi said with a grin on her face, looking conspiratorially in Elena's direction. "It's not like Damon would actually bring a girl on this thing unless she was an employee." Elena's interest peaked at Lexi's last sentence. What exactly did she mean by that? But Elena couldn't dwell on it much longer because the rest of the group was filing in and the room had gotten far louder from all of the conversations.

Damon was coming down the stairs, shouting out something indistinct in Stefan's direction. Lexi had moved back over to the other side to greet Klaus and Caroline as they waltzed into the room. Elijah joined Damon and Stefan's conversation and Katherine had re-entered directly behind Caroline. Kol and Anna seemed to be in their own little world, Kol whispering in Anna's ear while she giggled. Elena began to feel increasingly more conscious of her position on the wall. She had a feeling that she was going to be the outsider during much of the trip.

But Elena's big girl voice kicked in and she realized that she was going to have to get used to that feeling. As Lexi had stated earlier, Elena was just an employee. Sure, the other girls were writers too, but they were far friendlier with their bosses than Elena was or ever planned to be. She was lucky to just be invited to this dinner and she needed to suck up her insecurities and move on like the professional she was.

* * *

Damon looked across the table to where Elena was seated and took another few sips of his wine. She was seated at the far end of the table on the opposite side next to Stefan and across from Caroline, both of whom she seemed to be getting along quite well with. Damon had spent the entire evening catching up with Klaus on his latest movie and its insane filming process and bickering casually with Anna who had, by some sick curse, been placed on his left. They'd already finished up their main course and were waiting to be served their dessert.

Damon had tried hard not to notice how good Elena looked. Kol had already whispered a few crude remarks in his ear earlier that evening, but now they were all he could focus on. It was why he'd desperately tried to act so interested in anyone but Elena, even if it was Anna who was asking for his attention. He'd never seen Elena so dressed up and he wouldn't be straight if he hadn't noticed how incredible her legs looked in those shorts. Granted, he'd noticed that while they were in his office only a week ago, but she hadn't been wearing those four inch heels either.

But Damon had to shake his so-called desire for her. He needed Elena for this job and he needed her badly. The one thing that had kept her away in the beginning was any sense of a sexual relationship between the two. Granted it had stung a bit to find out that she was so repulsed by the idea of sex with him that she would turn down fame and fortune for a lifetime, but that wasn't going to throw him off of his game. He had six whole months where the paparazzi couldn't track every girl that walked out of his house or post embarrassing videos of his drunk self stumbling out of clubs. Not that he did that when he was at home. The six months he didn't spend on vacation were spent drowning in work, only occasionally dabbling in a female or two.

Yet Damon couldn't keep his eyes from wandering down to the other end of the table. She was laughing hysterically at something Stefan had said and Damon recognized a flash of anger rise up inside of him. She shouldn't be here, he thought. He never would have invited her if Caroline hadn't spent the better part of the afternoon whining him into submission. He'd meant what he said in the jet. She was here to work, not play. He was asking for a rush job by expecting this book to be complete by the end of the year, and he didn't want her having_ any_ distractions.

This dinner was not going the way he wanted it to. He wanted clubbing and drinking and all sorts of immoral festivities. Not sitting politely at a fancy restaurant sipping wine and discussing the stock market and dull stories from double dates.

Damon knew coming here that this vacation was going to be far different from the others. For the first time, he didn't have another single friend. Last year, Kol had only brought Anna along as an employee, similarly to how every Original had. He and Kol had spent the better part of their trip doing things they could never tell their mothers. No matter how nauseating and attached the other couples were, he'd had an ally. Of course, Anna had been far more willing to reap that extra benefit of the job and by the end of the trip those two had joined the line of vomit inducing couples.

Damon had tried to coerce Stefan into allowing him to bring his agent Ric along with him this year, but when put to a vote, every member of the traveling entourage had turned it down. It made sense. Their group always had a special sort of camaraderie and it was a time for rest, not work. Bringing an agent along was like allowing your guilty conscience to grow a body and follow you around constantly. Although having a drinking buddy or wingman was great, he didn't particularly care to have one that was continually worried about whether the press would hear about it.

So after Damon realized he had no other friends, his search for his own Original girl grew more intense. Not because he was seeking a relationship (he was the farthest thing from seeking a relationship), but because he just didn't want to be the only one without a partner. His desperation was stupid looking back on it. It wasn't like he was going to invite Elena along on his sessions, so why the hell had he been so dead set on getting her to accompany him?

He knew how uncomfortable this situation was. If he wanted this book to be any good, he was going to have to share some intimate shit with her. All of the other brothers' books had sold like hot cakes because each contained at least a dozen dirty little secrets that people all over the nation wanted to know. The rich and famous were typically put up on these perfect pedestals and those mere mortals down below wanted to humanize them. Of course, there was a fine line. Make a celebrity too much like yourself and suddenly they're not worth looking up to.

Damon knew he wasn't ready to have a share and care session with Elena anytime soon. In fact, he was starting to feel like he wasn't ever going to work up the nerve to sit in a room with her and let out his deepest, darkest confessions. Had he been pushed into this too early, simply because he didn't want to be the lone single in a group full of doubles? It seemed like it. He hated feeling so grown-up. He spent half of his year working with people twice his age and having to be mature and responsible even when all he wanted to do was revert back to his frat boy days when no one expected anything of him.

Unfortunately, there was one giant elephant in the room that reeked of expectation. Every couple in that house expected him and Elena to get together. He could see it in their shared smiles on the way over there when he'd sat next to her in the limo. Hell, he knew it because he'd watched it happen every year with every other Original girl. The older couples would laugh as each newbie would deny any sort of attraction, rolling their eyes at their naïve denial. By the end of the trip, the newly formed couple would be chuckling along with them over their stupidity.

That gargantuan expectation was what fueled Damon's dislike of Elena at that moment. He didn't want to prove all of them right. The fact that his nineteen year old brother had looked at Damon earlier that day with an expression that read "Look how adorable you are" made him want to throw up. Damon was not ready to settle for that sick mundane human desire to settle down and fall in love. He may have been twenty-eight, but he wanted to be eighteen and he could afford to act accordingly.

When he saw Elena flirtatiously touch Stefan's arm, his fully worn-out patience finally snapped. He abruptly stood up from his seat, nearly causing Anna's glass to spill all over her.

"Damon! What the hell?" She whined. The entire table had stopped their conversation to glance over, obviously startled by Damon's sudden movement and Anna's shrill squeal.

"Elena, can I speak with you for a moment?" Damon inquired calmly, allowing his anger to only reach his twitching jaw line.

He watched Elena falter for a moment, clearly confused by Damon's outburst. "Umm, yeah. Of course." Elena stood from her seat, shooting an inquisitive glance in Caroline's direction. Damon had to turn his head when Elena bent over to pick up her clutch, giving him a clear shot of her fabric-clad ass, an ass that was seriously making him reconsider the trash bag idea.

"Excuse us," Damon said to the still silent table. He noticed Lexi's expression had changed from shock to understanding. She was smirking, giving Damon a knowing expression. _Shit,_ he thought. _She thinks we're going to the bathroom to do it._ Was she already convinced they were together? He didn't know. But he was damn sure she was going to inform the rest of the stomach-churning couples the second they were gone. Damon wanted to be far away when she started her little gossip sesh, so he strode away from the table towards the back area, hoping Elena would follow.

Elena caught up with him in the small hallway that held the bathrooms. Thankfully the hall was closed off by a door and the restaurant was fairly under crowded since summer was typically the off-season for the Alps. He wasn't so thankful for the proximity they would have to have, but his desire for privacy won over.

"Is this one of those 'you'll come when I call' moments?" Elena asked, smoothing her hair down.

Damon had to hold back a scoff. "Yeah, that's exactly what it is," he replied impatiently, just ready to get this unpleasant conversation over with. He had a goal in mind and he wanted to achieve it as fast as he possibly could.

"Alrighty then," Elena replied, digging through her purse and retrieving a small notebook and pen. "Sorry I didn't bring the recorder. I'll make sure to have it next time. I didn't realize one of our interviews was going to happen tonight. I just thought I'd be observing."

Damon gawked at her, dumbstruck. That frustration was hitting new heights. He wasn't sure whether it was caused by his jetlag, the small session of pre-gaming he'd done before this dinner, or a combination of the two. All that he knew was that the id section of his brain was shouting far louder than his superego, causing his hand to shoot out and smack her notebook to the ground as though he were a toddler.

Elena's face curled up in shock and also a small amount of disgust. "What the hell, Damon?" her words echoing Anna's as she bent down to pick up the notebook from the tiled floor. "It's just a notebook. Calm down."

"You shouldn't be here," Damon uttered severely. "I think it's time for you to go home."

Elena was back at eye level, but he didn't particularly care for her befuddled gaze. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't want you here!" Damon's tone raised into nearly a shout, causing Elena to take a step back.

Elena's gaze was now a glare. "I'm aware of that," she chided softly. "You made that perfectly clear earlier." She crossed her arms as her voice grew more urgent. "Yet _somehow_ I still got an invitation and _somehow _my company seems to be enjoyed."

"I already told you that you weren't here to have a good time," Damon growled back. "You're here to work, not flirt."

"Flirt? Damon, I'm not flirting with anyone!"

"Oh, please. My brother is not as funny as your guffaws across the table indicated. And you can stop with the touchy feely shit. It's bad enough you're doing it when you're on the clock, let alone when his _girlfriend_ is sitting right next to him."

"Are you kidding me?" Elena's face was now growing red with frustration and her eyes had bugged out at his last remarks. "I'm fairly sure I touched his arm _once_! Actually, I couldn't tell you since the action was entirely not deliberate or planned in any way. I barely remember doing it! And now you're assuming that just because I laugh at a guy's jokes I'm in love with him?"

"Oh, cut the dramatics, Elena," Damon snapped. This conversation wasn't tied up as neatly as he would have liked and his strong desire to finish it was causing his anger to increase. "Stop arguing with me and just go."

'_I'm_ the one being dramatic?" Elena yelped. They were suddenly interrupted by the entrance of an elderly woman, obviously a native who was not thrilled with their presence or their volume. She shuffled past them with a glare and went into the bathroom. Elena looked slightly embarrassed at being caught in such a meltdown, but she continued, her voice now an angry whisper. "Did you have a personality transplant in the past twenty four hours? You've been ridiculous before, but this absolutely takes the cake."

Damon ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "You signed a contract, Elena." At this point, he was just throwing out meaningless statements.

"I'm following all of your rules, Damon!" Elena was becoming as exasperated as he was. "I've spent the entire night drinking water in a restaurant that's world renowned for its incredible wine. I've only truly talked unless I've been spoken to. And I left in the middle of a conversation without so much as an explanation simply because you told me to! I'm sorry that I happened to have a smile on my face at some points!"

Elena was making a rational case, but Damon's wavelengths were on a whole other planet from rational. He gritted his teeth as he spoke. "As your boss, I'm telling you that your night is over. You are going to go home, get some sleep, and wake up tomorrow with a much better attitude." Damon's childlike mentality kept repeating over and over again that once Elena left he could finally have some fun. Was there any proof behind that statement? Hell no. But he was going to stick with it until he got his way.

"You've got to be kidding me," Elena muttered under her breath. She raised her voice again and flung her hands up in the air. "How am I supposed to get home?"

Damon hadn't quite thought that far. She'd ridden with them. He hoped the group wasn't planning on leaving any time soon as he yanked Elena out of the small room by her arm and out into the main area of the restaurant.

"Damon, let go of me!" She hissed. She was obviously trying to not make too much of a scene, but also be outrageous enough to embarrass Damon into stopping. But his mission was not yet complete as he dragged Elena through the building and out the glass double doors onto the main street. Once outside, he let go of her and walked over to the valet station so that the limo could be summoned.

He came back to a furious Elena. She refused to look at him, instead staring out at the street and rubbing her arm where he'd grabbed her. His irrationality was starting to fade as he watched her glare out into the still somewhat hot air. He sighed and mumbled so lowly that he wasn't even sure if she'd be able to hear him. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

He heard her scoff loudly, the scoff verging more towards a bitter laugh. "Yeah, you were sure concerned about me back there."

The limo pulled up before they could sit any longer in their mutual dislike for each other. As the limo driver came around to open the door for them, Damon addressed him. "Take Elena to the house and then come right back. I'll only be able to hold off my group for so long."

"Yes, Mr. Salvatore," the driver nodded. He then acknowledged Elena. "Did you have a good evening, miss?"

"Oh, the absolute best," Elena snarled, glaring directly at Damon. The driver realized he was obviously stepping into a field of landmines so he quickly walked back to the his seat.

"Don't be such a brat, Ms. Gilbert," Damon smirked as she slid into the seat and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked like a petulant child. "Isn't it every little girl's dream to ride in a limo all by herself?"

"Oh yeah, Damon," Elena barked. "You're making me feel like a real princess."

"Good night, Elena," Damon shot back. "Be ready to work tomorrow."

"You're such a-" Before Elena could finish, he'd slammed the door in her face and pivoted to walk back into the restaurant. As he went back to his table, he was frustrated that he didn't feel any better now that he'd gotten what he wanted. He pushed back the small shred of guilt he'd felt for being such an asshole and came back to the table of his giggling comrades.

All of their heads shot up with knowing smirks but each grew slightly confused when they noticed Elena was not with him. "Missing someone, Damon?" Klaus grinned.

"No, actually. I sent her home," Damon stated calmly.

Caroline frowned. "Why would you do that? Stef and I were having a good time with her."

Stefan interjected with a wink. "Yeah, you picked a good one brother." Lexi didn't seem phased, nodding her head in agreement.

Damon took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Look, we can sit around at this table and discuss the ins and outs of why I sent Elena home or we can get absolutely fucked up and have a good time. Now I know you all are all grown-ups now-"

"Oh thank God!" Kol exclaimed. "Can we please get out of this dull hellhole of a restaurant and go actually have some fun?"

Katherine, who'd been unusually quiet that evening, acquiesced. "I'm in. I came for a vacation."

The rest of the table quickly became as eager as Damon was and thankfully they were able to locate a good bar down the street. Once there, they all squished into the largest booth, their earlier mellowness just a memory now. As Caroline shouted out for shots and was met with cheers, Damon loosened his tie and smiled. Now _this_ is what he'd come here for.

* * *

Elena let out a shrill squeal into the night once the driver had pulled away, eager to get back to the people that actually paid him. She was sure she'd been a thrill to drive, what with her chucking her wedges onto the floor with loud thunks just to get some of her frustration out. She was fuming at this point. What in the absolute hell was Damon's problem? He'd never been this much of an asshole just to be an asshole. Sure he had his douchey, cocky moments but this was just him being an arrogant, pompous dick and she really wished she'd hit him, hard. She'd spent the entire drive imagining how the conversation should have gone. She should have screamed so loud that the restaurant would think he was abducting her. She should have punched him in front of all of his friends. But of course, she'd ended up coming out of it losing and losing hard. Like she was a five year old with a tantrum, she'd been sent home to go sleep while the adults partied.

Elena stomped up the wooden stairs, wedges and clutch dangling from her hands. All she wanted to do was rush to her room, slam her door, and collapse dramatically onto her bed. Alright, maybe she did sound like a five year old but the appeal of slamming one of these big oak doors in the front was far too alluring.

But as Elena yanked hard on the door handle, she was suddenly stopped… by the fact that it wouldn't budge. Elena yanked harder, yet the door stayed exactly in its place. Elena tried the other door and it matched its partner: she was locked out.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Elena screamed. She threw her bags down on the porch and flopped down next to them, cradling her head in her hands. This was absolute torture. She had absolutely no clue when the group would be back home and she didn't want to spend her night trying every door and window in the godforsaken house. She would have called Damon, but now that she was back in the middle of nowhere, cell service was nonexistent. Not that he would have picked up anyway.

All Elena knew was that she was tired and homesick and pissed as hell. And now she'd be spending however many hours laying on the porch and waiting for someone to let her in. She cursed as she felt the tears prick in her eyes. _Why_ had she decided to do this? What in the world had convinced her that entering this ridiculous world was a good idea?

Elena took out her frustration by slamming her hand into the door a few times, but of course it didn't do any good. She tried to think of the positives of the situation, but she wasn't really seeing them. Elena took a deep breath and let the tears fall down her cheeks as she shuffled around to face the woods and leaned her back against the door. At least she could partially appreciate the view.

Elena's moment of peace was abruptly taken away from her when the door fell out from under her and her back slammed down onto the door jam and the hardwood floor of the inside. "Ow, shit," she moaned as she heard a gasp from above her.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." Elena opened her eyes to see an older woman standing above her, obviously the culprit in the mystery of the moving door. "I just heard the crying and the banging on the door and I thought you were one of the girls." Elena pushed herself up slowly to turn around and face her. The woman was petite with a soft face and round hips. Elena noted her strong Southern accent and her nightgown, indicating that she must have been asleep when Elena had arrived.

"It-it's fine," Elena stuttered as she stumbled upwards into a standing position. She bent over to grab her stuff. "I was just trying to get in but the door-" Elena paused. Obviously this woman knew the door had been locked. "I'm sorry to have woken you."

"Oh, don't worry about a thing. This is what I'm here to do. Come in sweetheart," she beckoned Elena in with a waving hand, grabbing Elena's shoes with the other. Once they were inside the foyer, she addressed her more formally. "Now, I apologize if I sound rude, but I don't believe we've met. I'm Bernadine."

Elena attempted a smile. "I'm Elena. I'm Damon's new writer."

Elena watched as Bernadine's face scrunched up and she stared at her for a few moments. "Oh, honey. I'm so sorry."

Elena let out a laugh as Bernadine chuckled. "I don't mean it like that, just that… he's a difficult boy. Always has been."

Elena cocked her head. "Always? Have you known him for long?"

"Only since he's been in diapers! I was his nanny growing up, his and Stefan's. He's always been such a little rugrat, tumbling around and getting into all sorts of trouble." Elena couldn't help but match the grin on Bernadine's face. She was just beaming with happiness. "I love him to death, but there are days that I just want to slap him upside the head."

"Well, your intel would be incredibly helpful with my writing. Could I possibly interview you while I'm here?"

"Of course! I have enough embarrassing stories about Damon, you might need a sequel. Now let's get you up to your room." Elena followed Bernadine up the stairs as she rambled on and on about herself. "I'm here to help you in any way you need it. Obviously Damon hasn't gotten quite used to the idea of not having a caretaker. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly on all of these little vacations of his, yet he invites me back along every year. Well, me and my husband that is. Warren. Oh, that man. He also helps around the house so if you see him… well, I would run as fast as you can. He can talk your ear off and you'll never escape."

Once they reached Elena's door, Elena had determined she was going to love Bernadine. Her easygoing demeanor and loving personality reminded her so much of her own mother, it caused pangs in her chest. It didn't help that her Southern accent only reminded her of the women who lived in her old town. Once Bernadine had finished rambling and had wandered back down the hall, Elena opened the door and entered the room. Glancing around, she realized she no longer had a desire to find Damon's living quarters and destroy them. Rather, she just wanted to sleep and face whatever drama the next day entailed later. Elena slid into the far too comfortable bed without bothering to change her clothes or take off her makeup, and passed out.

**Woo! That was a long chapter. Well, maybe not for you, but definitely for me. This was almost 7,000 words which rarely ever happens. So what do we all think? Jealous of Elena's sweet new digs? Any changes in your favorite/least favorite Originals now that we've met them all? What'd ya think of D and E's psychotic temper tantrums? Personally, I loved writing them, but I don't know if you like reading them. I told you cranky Damon was going to rear his head, and believe me, he isn't done yet. I hope it didn't come too out of the blue, but don't worry: he has his reasons. Oh, and you guys do not know how excited I am to add Bernadine and Warren. Have to put some down-to-earth-ness in this crazy party house :)**

**I hope this was at least partially worth the wait and I will see you all next Sunday with a new chapter. I promise!**

**love love love :)**


	6. Chapter 6: Upside Down

**Goodness gracious! This fic has had a really, really busy week. First off, I want to acknowledge the crazy recognition my fic received on Tumblr over the past few days. First and foremost, ohmypreciousgirl (one of my absolute favorite blogs) put me on her rec list which was such an unexpected honor. That list holds some really fabulous writers, writers I do not deserve to hold space with, yet for some crazy reason I'm on there and for that I'm ridiculously happy And secondly, 1864impala (another of my favorites) posted a link to my fic as well, which garnered this story a lot of attention. I received so many sweet and undeserved messages and for that I'm truly grateful. Not to mention, of course, all of the reviews you all left for the last chapter here!**

**Granted, with all this wonderful praise comes lots of responsibility. I really felt like I needed to step up my game with the amount of eyes on this fic now. I actually feel bad that this chapter is so long. It took me almost 45 minutes just to read over this chapter and edit it so I apologize. I know I said the last chapter was the longest yet, but this one absolutely takes the cake (7800 words!) So yes, I'm terribly sorry that I made this chapter so crazily long. I'd planned on cutting it off at a certain point, but I realized if I did, you guys would feel like I'd just given you a filler chapter. Once I started writing, I just couldn't stop so... yeah, this happened.**

**Once again, thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU to all of my amazing readers, no matter where you found this story. You make this writing process so enjoyable for me and I cannot thank you enough for your sweetness. Now I'll shut up and let you all read.**

* * *

Chapter 6: Upside Down

_'But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked._

_'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'_

_'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice._

_'You must be,' said the Cat, 'or you wouldn't have come here.'_

Elena rolled over mindlessly and inhaled the fresh scent of the duvet. _Well, that's odd_, she thought. _My comforter does not smell like this. _Cautiously opening her eyes, Elena let out a groan. That's because she wasn't sleeping in her bed; she was sleeping in _theirs._ She was Alice and she was stuck in wonderland.

Elena closed her eyes again, not too thrilled with the harsh sunlight. She mentally reminded herself that she would need to close the curtains every night if she wanted to get any sleep over the next few months. Elena blindly fumbled her hand across the nightstand to reach her charging phone. Another cruel reminder hit her as she remembered she would have no messages to check without service.

After allowing the memories of last night to fully sink in, Elena pushed back the comforter and put her feet on the part of the hardwood that was not exposed by the rug, letting the chill complete the wake-up process. Elena knew she couldn't dwell on the events of the previous evening. If she was going to be totally honest with herself, she knew that she'd probably experience many a night just like it. Damon Salvatore was frustration incarnate and she'd be naïve if she thought that was the worst he could be. She'd survived day and night one and had about a hundred and eighty left. Elena had worked far too hard in her life to fail miserably at her first real job. She was going to be so damn professional and polite that Damon would be hard-stretched to find something to be angry about. And that started with being dressed and ready to go in the morning.

Elena slipped off her clothing from the previous night and chucked it in the wooden hamper she'd located in her closet. Hopping in the scalding hot shower, she scrubbed at her face and body, desperate to remove the makeup and sweat of the previous night. Clean, fresh, and ready to start anew had to be her motto for the day. Wrapping herself in a towel, she waltzed back into her room with a spring in her step. Elena always did best in the mornings and the shower had seemingly refreshed her from the inside out. Sifting through the clothes she'd already pulled out of her suitcase, she grabbed a pair of dark denim skinny jeans and slid them up her legs. Already sensing the heat that was sure to be waiting for her if she went outside, Elena pulled on a tie-dye frayed tank top but added a lighter denim shirt over it since the house was still quite cold. Elena considered going sans shoes, but recognized that bare feet didn't exactly scream professionalism. She noted that she had yet to see an Original girl who wasn't wearing high heels so she slipped on some nude open-toed ones to complete the look.

Elena twisted her hair into a side braid that hung down her right shoulder and then put on some mascara and lip gloss before grabbing her notebook and pen and heading towards the stairs. Once she'd wound her way through the halls, she made sure to grab the banister so she didn't start off her morning with a tragic fall caused by her five inch heels.

Elena's head had been filled with countless images of how the morning would go, but when she came down the stairs, all of those visions were wiped away. There was absolutely no one in sight. The main floor was deathly silent, almost eerily so. Was everyone still asleep? Elena wandered through various rooms, not spotting a soul. She was about to give up and go back upstairs when she heard what sounded like giggling and hushed voices coming from her left. Elena followed the sounds and found herself in the massive kitchen from the day before. Perched up on the counter was Caroline, swinging her legs back and forth in short and skimpy black satin and lace pajamas, pajamas that were obviously created for man's enjoyment. Bernadine was the other culprit of the noise, busily rushing around the kitchen and tending to all of the assorted dishes being made.

Elena's presence didn't go unnoticed for long as Caroline's head whipped up and her mouth twisted into a grin at the sight of the brunette. "Well, look who's an early riser," she smirked.

"Oh hello, darling," Bernadine greeted Elena cheerfully. "Did you sleep well?"

Elena was taken aback by the pure energy the two were providing. "Umm, fine. Thank you."

Caroline's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. "Wait, when did you two meet?" She asked, shaking her finger back and forth between Elena and Bernadine.

Bernadine seemed far too happy to let Elena answer that one. Elena realized she was faced with a decision on just how to phrase the events of the previous evening. Caroline and Damon were friends and she didn't want Caroline to go reporting to Damon how much of an ungrateful bitch Elena was. She took a deep breath. "I was, uh, locked out last night and Bernadine let me in."

Caroline considered Elena for a moment, a moment that had Elena practically trembling, and then scoffed. "What an asshole."

Elena fought a giggle as Bernadine slapped Caroline's bare leg with a wooden spoon. "None of your potty words around me, Ms. Forbes."

"But Bernie, you know he's an-" A sharp glare from Bernadine stopped Caroline from repeating herself. "… a not so nice young man."

"That's very true. But I still don't want that kind of language around my old ears. I'm old enough to have a heart attack at any moment and I swear to you, if the last word I hear is a four-letter one, I'll haunt you until the day _you _die."

Caroline exaggeratedly rolled her eyes and then focused her attention back on Elena. "I apologize in advance for my brother's absolute butt headedness and I will happily tear into him later, but right now I have no doubt he is dead to the world."

"Is he a late sleeper?" Elena inquired.

Caroline laughed. "Honey, there isn't a person in this house that wakes up before eleven." She bounced off the counter and sauntered over to Elena to whisper in her ear. "Unless of course, they want a quickie."

"I heard that, young lady," Bernadine scolded as Caroline chuckled impishly.

"And you aren't a late sleeper?" Elena asked.

"Oh, I am, but unfortunately, everything I consumed last night decided to burst forth like a dam early this morning." Elena smirked as Caroline made a motion with her hands to indicate the drinking she'd partaken in the night before. Elena had really enjoyed Caroline's blunt and humorous personality last night and was glad to see it was still present. "Thankfully, Bernadine's worked up a really nice hangover kit."

"Practice makes perfect," Bernadine grumbled, but smiled genuinely at Caroline as she bounced over and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Elena, dear, would you like some coffee?"

"Yes, please." Bernadine motioned for Elena to sit at the stools that were lined up on the opposite counter as Caroline plopped down next to her and leaned her entire upper arm on the countertop, resting her head fully in her propped up hand. She studied Elena as Bernadine placed the mug down in front of her and she took her first few sips. Bernadine quickly became distracted by something else and left the kitchen. Both Elena and Caroline were dead silent for a few moments, Caroline continuing to stare Elena down as Elena attempted to keep her gaze straight ahead.

"So what happened with Damon last night?" Obviously Caroline was done observing. Elena could clearly recognize Caroline's journalistic nature. She wanted to know facts and get to the point as quickly as possible.

"He, uh, asked me to leave, so I left," Elena reported back as unaffected as she possibly could.

"Interesting. Why did he ask you to leave?" Caroline was _not _going to let it go.

Elena tried to elaborate. "I'm not really sure. He was just all of a sudden really upset and told me to leave so we got into an argument but I didn't win."

"I've won one argument in my entire life with Damon Salvatore and that was only because I flashed him so he'd stop talking." Caroline noticed Elena's eyes widen. "Drunk, I swear." Elena laughed, but was convinced that Caroline probably would have done it sober.

Elena was feeling more comfortable with the blonde. "He has a bunch of rules I have to follow, and apparently, I wasn't."

"Such as?"

"Such as… not partying and not drinking."

Caroline balked. "You can't drink?" Elena shook her head. "This entire time? Oh my god, what is he, Hitler?" Elena laughed as Caroline ran her fingers through her hair. "Okay, fine that comparison is a little extreme but seriously, no alcohol for six months? He's _such_ a control freak." Caroline paused, taking the new information in. "You can't come to any parties, either?"

Elena shrugged. "I don't think so. Last night was apparently an exception because you rode him so hard about letting me come."

Caroline's face lit up with a shit-eating grin. "Well, Elena Gilbert, would you _like _to come to our parties?"

Elena blushed. "I'm not sure." When Elena noticed that Caroline looked a little hurt, she corrected herself. "I mean, yeah, I guess."

Caroline clapped her hands together. "Perfect. That just means I have to be as obnoxious as possible whenever you do want to attend. Damon'll crack in a second." Caroline once again paused, seemingly lost in her own thoughts, before staring down at her chest and abruptly grabbing herself, pushing her boobs upwards. "How do my tits look in this?" Caroline's head whipped up to regard Elena's shocked expression.

"Umm… what?"

Caroline let go of herself and stood up but jutted her chest forward as if to give Elena a proper look. "I mean, do my tits look good in this cami? Klaus didn't say a word last night about it, and I bought this for the trip to surprise him because in the dressing room I thought my tits looked good, but now I'm worried that they just look saggy."

Elena was struggling to keep her mouth closed and not gape like a crazy person. She'd just heard the word "tits" more times in the past minute than she had in the past year. Elena had never had friends that forward with their sexuality (hell, Bonnie typically slept in full-length nightgowns) and wasn't quite sure how to comment on a girl's chest. Caroline was now posing like a Victoria's Secret model, head and hip cocked to the right as she pushed her hands through her hair, obviously trying to get Elena to see her through Klaus' eyes. Elena felt a little tug of jealousy hit her, finding it unfair how easily Caroline could look that sexual at the drop of a hat.

"Well, would you fuck me?" Caroline insisted.

"Hell yeah, I would." Elena thanked her lucky stars that she was saved by Klaus' entrance into the kitchen.

Caroline came out of her pose and rolled her eyes. "You don't count. You already do regularly."

"Well, if you already have me, why are you asking Elena?" Klaus paused as his eyes lit up. "Oh wait, please God, tell me you're interviewing for the third girl."

"That's not for another few months, so calm down mister. Besides, we are _not_ choosing anyone that lives in this house." Elena's expression obviously indicated her confusion so Caroline turned to explain. "He's getting a _three_some for his _thirtieth_ birthday. Clever right?"

Elena gulped some of her coffee, again overwhelmed by the amount of sex talk this early in the morning.

"What a shame, love," Klaus had sauntered over to Caroline by this point, wrapping his arm lazily around his girlfriend. "I would have been game." Caroline punched him lightly in the gut as he laughed. "I saw that pose you were giving her when I walked in," he teased. "You obviously want her, too."

"I don't want her!" Caroline barked. "Oh, no offense, Elena."

"None taken," Elena replied quickly.

"I don't want her," Caroline repeated. "I was trying to figure out if my tits looked good in this outfit."

Before Klaus could respond, another female's voice rang out in the kitchen. "Nice rack, Care. I'd do ya." Lexi was bee lining it for the coffee machine but shot a grin in Caroline's direction.

Caroline smiled widely. "Just pick a time, Lex," she shouted.

"Ouch," Lexi whined, putting a few fingers up to her forehead to rub it as she scrunched her eyes. "No loud talking while Mama's trying to get over her hangover." She took a sip of her coffee before opening her eyes again. "And why the hell are you scaring the new kid with your blatant sexuality? I thought we talked about easing her into it."

"It's impossible, Lexi. You cannot cage all of this," Caroline dramatically drug her hand up and down her body.

It was Lexi's turn to roll her eyes as Klaus mumbled, "I one hundred percent agree" and dramatically bent Caroline backwards to kiss her. Elena spun around in her chair, fairly sure the red on her cheeks could not get any brighter. Lexi walked away too, plucking a banana from the bowl and began cutting it in little pieces. Elena noted after a little while that Klaus and Caroline had left to do god knows what, leaving her in the room alone with Lexi. Lexi continued her preparation, but once the slices were in a bowl, she addressed Elena.

"So, you excited for the big bash tomorrow?" Lexi popped a piece into her mouth, waiting for Elena's answer.

"There's a party?" Elena asked. She wasn't particularly surprised but she didn't want to seem presuming.

Lexi let out a light laugh. "Sorry. I always forget that not everyone knows our traditions." Lexi walked around the island to sit on the side closest to Elena. "We always have one of our biggest parties during the first week to celebrate both Damon and Stefan's birthday. We throw a little Fourth of July in there, too, since we typically aren't in the States."

Elena felt a small smile tug at the end of her lips as she realized Damon's birthday would not go unnoticed. She wiped it away quickly remembering how mad she'd been at him the previous night. "When is Stefan's birthday?"

"Tomorrow." Elena noticed that Lexi's face lit up a bit as she mentioned him. "Yeah, it's crazy how close their birthdays are considering they're separated by eight years. He's turning twenty. But anyways, it should be a lot of fun. We get all dressed up, make the house like a giant open club and tell everyone in town. I'm actually headed to put up fliers today if you want to come."

Elena gulped nervously. "Isn't that a little risky? I mean, just having random strangers in your house."

Lexi grinned, taking another sip from her mug. "Hun, if there's no risk, there's no fun." Elena maintained her dubious expression so Lexi attempted to placate her. "We also hire security from all of the clubs downtown. Nobody's going to get killed or assaulted."

"What about the press?" Elena asked.

Lexi's eyes widened in pleased surprise. "You're smarter than you look." Lexi took her time answering, rummaging in the bowl to pick out the slice she wanted. "Look, this type of party isn't my idea. It's Klaus and Kol's. For all their talk about hating the press and paparazzi, I think they actually like being caught in all their antics. So they let these random strangers in, give 'em the thrill of a lifetime, and let them walk away, blabbing to the reporters to their heart's content."

"You make it sound so nice," Elena commented. "Almost like you're doing them a favor."

Lexi's face sobered a small amount. "Yeah, well. Everybody wants to be like us. Why not give them one night when they can pretend to be?" Elena immediately picked up on the bitterness and sadness behind Lexi's words. You would have to be deaf not to.

But the seriousness of the conversation suddenly lifted when Lexi jumped off the counter. "I'm presuming I'll see you there?" Lexi asked, all signs that the solemn conversation had occurred absent from her face.

Elena blinked. "Yeah, I should be."

"Great," Lexi smiled and then exited the kitchen.

Elena sighed and finished her cup of coffee. The party did sound interesting. She just had to get an invite from a certain person.

"Caroline!"

* * *

"Caroline!"

Caroline looked up from her seated position, obviously enthralled in the magazine she was flipping through. Her eyes widened when she took in Elena's appearance. "Oh, hell no."

Elena immediately felt self-conscious. "What is it? Is it too showy?"

"Too... Jesus Christ, Elena. You look like a nun."

"I do not!" Elena barked. Caroline had barged into her room a few minutes prior, insistent on seeing what outfit Elena was going to wear to the party. Elena really hadn't thought about it prior, so she just grabbed the first thing she could find that said "party."

Caroline approached her. "Alright, you've got _some_ of the basics right. You obviously know fashion. But you have got to show some more skin. This is a party, not church." With that statement, Caroline waltzed into Elena's closet and Elena, after heaving a loud sigh, followed her in.

"So what do I need to change?" Elena asked hesitantly.

Caroline dug through one of the built-in drawers and tugged out a black lace balconette bra and chucked it at Elena. "Well, I can smell that skin-colored Target bra from all the way over here." Elena crossed her arms over her chest, shocked that Caroline had been able to actually determine that correctly. "So you're going to need to put on something that actually pushes them up rather than just holding them in place." Elena ran her fingers carefully over the lacy fabric. She'd never actually worn this particular bra before, but she'd considered it pretty in the store so she'd splurged.

"Secondly, you need some color in your outfit, and…" Caroline paused, regarding Elena's frozen figure. "Well, come on. Strip."

Elena's mouth dropped. "But-"

"No 'buts" missy. It's me. Don't flatter yourself into thinking that just because you take your clothes off, I'm going to have the urge to jump your bones."

Elena sighed and awkwardly took off her white drape collar blazer and dropped it on the floor. "Ah, ah, ah. Don't wrinkle that. That's cute. You can keep that." Caroline was now digging through Elena's various items of clothing. Elena picked up the garment, smoothing it out and hanging it from a hook before hesitatingly taking off her black tank dress, leaving her in only her… well, in only her Target underwear. She waited until Caroline was fully distracted before swiftly taking off her own bra and replacing it with the one that Caroline had provided her with. She was too caught up in the process that she didn't notice that Caroline had become undistracted. "Damn, you have nice tits."

Elena quickly adjusted the bra into place and covered herself, her face once again turning bright red. "Sorry," Caroline added apologetically. "Still insecure about the thing from yesterday." Caroline's gaze turned downward towards Elena's crotch. "I'm guessing I'm not going to sway you from wearing those?"

Elena looked down at her blue cotton polka dot underwear and fiercely shook her head. The lace from the bra was already digging into her sides and itching. She couldn't imagine having it down below.

"Perfect." Caroline grinned, pulling out a colorful geometric printed form fitting skirt. "Now this is how you highlight an ass." Elena actually did like that skirt so she put it on without pausing. She waited patiently, arms crossed over her chest so she could feel a bit less vulnerable as Caroline dug out a completely sheer orange top and a pair of black heels. Elena felt a bit more dread over the top, not liking that anyone would be able to see her bra without even trying, but Caroline's smile when she put it on comforted her a bit. What would be so wrong with showing off a bit of skin? She did feel far more comfortable when Caroline handed her back the blazer. Shoving Elena back into the room to face the full length mirror hanging on the main door, Caroline did a little happy dance.

"I swear, if this writing thing stops working out for me, I'm totally going to become a personal stylist. You look hot."

Elena could barely take in her appearance, as the mirror was abruptly taken away when the door swung open. "Hey, Caroline, are we getting ready together or-" Anna's eyes widened as she took in Elena's appearance. "Damn, good job, new kid."

"Uh, thanks, I think," Elena replied.

"That's a compliment in Anna's eyes, Elena." Caroline smirked. "Anna, Elena's gonna play cling-on with us tonight since this is her first time doing this whole party thing."

"Sure, no problem. Just know that I plan on getting obnoxiously drunk tonight even if _you_ have to stay sober." Elena's new rules had become public knowledge over the past twenty four hours. She hadn't seen hide nor hair of Damon since that night at the restaurant and she wasn't quite thrilled about seeing him this evening.

"Alright, well before I leave, I need the most important opinion of all. Elena? What do you think of the new and improved and sexy as hell you?"

Elena smoothed her hands down her skirt. "I think… that Damon is going to skin me alive when he sees me."

Both Caroline and Anna glanced at each other with befuddlement written all over their faces. "Why would Damon get pissed at you just because you look hot?"

"I'm not sure." And Elena wasn't lying. She had no clue why she was scared that he would be upset. "He just doesn't want me at this party in the first place. I mean, you told me you had to practically wring a 'maybe' out of him, and he got pissed at me the last time. I just can't look like I'm having too much fun."

Anna scoffed. "Look, Damon is a controlling dick who feels the need to claim what's his, even if you're just his employee. But it's his birthday party and there will be plenty of girls hanging all over him that are going to grab his attention. No offense, but I highly doubt he'll even notice you're there."

Elena took a deep breath and managed to put a convincing smile on her face, even though she wasn't entirely convinced. "Alright. I guess I'll find you down there, then?"

* * *

Elena could never have imagined the party would be as crazy as it actually was. There had to be at least 300 people in the house and she hadn't even accounted for how many were in the yard or by the pool. Apparently, Lexi had been right. Everyone wanted a taste and it looked like they were having the time of their lives. Everyone except for Elena.

Elena was far from miserable, but it was a bit uncomfortable to be the only sober person. Sure, Caroline and the rest of the Original girls were fun to watch, but that's all Elena could really do: watch. All of the games people played while they were drunk were not as fun while seeing them from a sober eye. She guessed that's why _water pong_ wasn't exactly a thrilling daytime sport.

Elena sipped at the soda that Caroline had snagged for her, purely from the fact that she was dying of heat. She was afraid that if she took off the white blazer, she'd never see it again, and Caroline always seemed to notice every time Elena tried to leave. She was practically on mandated fun lockdown, Caroline always trying to include Elena in on the excitement. Elena was trying, but the forced enjoyment was wearing her down. Caroline had already tried to hook her up with at least five different guys, Elena refusing each one of them. Elena had never been the type of girl to hook up with a guy at a party and she didn't plan to start tonight when she was technically being paid to work.

Once the girls had grown bored of that particular area of the house, Lexi directed the girls into the kitchen, the one place in the house that was not being occupied.

"If I have to tell you hooligans one more time!" Bernadine was sitting on a stool in her bath robe, reading a book. She looked up and a smile lit up her face when she saw who it was. "Oh, thank goodness. This one group of boys keeps coming in here talking about some sort of peg."

"I think you mean _keg, _Bernz," Anna slurred, racing over to wrap her arms clumsily around Bernadine's round figure. Elena had noticed that Anna became overly affectionate when she was wasted. A blessing of the evening came with the fact that the boys seemed to be traveling in a pack as far away from the girls as possible. In fact, Elena hadn't seen them the entire night. She had no doubt that Kol would be none too thrilled seeing how his girlfriend celebrated winning a round of Quarters.

Caroline and Katherine were digging in the refrigerator as Lexi leaned over towards Elena. "Bernadine guards this kitchen with her life. Nobody's allowed in here during her parties. Well, except for us."

Elena took off the stuffy blazer as the two girls by the fridge squealed and pulled out what looked like a fruit tart. Elena had been learning that when Klaus and Damon were too lazy to cook, Bernadine was the main chef in the house and a damn good one at that. Elena had been eating like a queen for her meals here. All of the rest of the Original girls began to plead profusely until Bernadine finally gave them permission to eat it. Anna passed out forks to everyone, including Elena, as they began to dig into the delicious dessert.

"So, Bernie, what have you been doing to pass the time?" Katherine asked between bites of the tart.

"Well, now that Warren's asleep, I've just been reading this book Oprah recommended. Warren was entertaining me for hours with his stories." As Bernadine rambled on and on about the book in her hands and some of the things Warren had told her, Elena noticed the atmosphere of the room had abruptly changed. The rapid eating of the other four girls had slowed considerably and their previous jubilant expressions were all gone. Lexi and Katherine both had forced smiles on their faces as they listened to Bernadine while Caroline and Anna just looked sad. Anna seemed to be the worst of them all, her already pale skin even more washed out as she shared a glance with Caroline. Elena tuned back in, utterly confused by what Bernadine could have said to kill the entire mood of the room.

"That's great, Bernie," Katherine replied, the same sad smile on her face. "Thank you for the quick snack." The other girls wordlessly wrapped the saran wrap around the tart, putting it and the forks back in their rightful places. They each went over to give Bernadine a goodnight kiss and hug, promising to clear the house out, while Elena stood over on the other side of the kitchen, feeling left out of something.

Lexi ran out of the room and came back moments later with one of the hired body guards and assured Bernadine that the kitchen would be safe without her. Bernadine seemed unphased, happily walking over to her husband, who had been asleep on the couch in the small adjoining sitting room. Elena regarded him for the first time. He didn't seem insanely old, maybe a few years older than Bernadine, but his demeanor aged him significantly. He shuffled in, glancing at the other girls, as Bernadine murmured soft words that Elena couldn't distinguish into his ear. After they were out of the room, the girls wordlessly glanced at each other.

After a few nearly unbearable moments of silence, Elena cleared her throat. "Did I miss something?" she asked rather meekly, terrified that speaking up would only cause backlash.

The others looked at each other, as though trying to figure out whom exactly was going to speak. Finally, Katherine turned to fully face Elena. "Bernadine's worked with us for a really long time. She's pretty well put together, but sometimes she just…" Katherine faded off, nearly looking like she was getting emotional.

Caroline decided to cut in. "Warren hasn't spoken in over ten years. Well, not to anyone's knowledge." Elena took a deep breath, fully realizing what had just happened. "I think she was just tired. She can become convinced sometimes that she's had full conversations with him, but he's been selectively mute for a really long time. It was just time for her to go to bed."

Elena felt terrible. Bernadine didn't seem like she wasn't fully there, but she remembered her comment from the other night when she was walking Elena to her room. _He'll talk your ear off._ Obviously, that wasn't the case if he hadn't talked in over a decade. Elena hated that the buzz from the alcohol had worn off on the girls. She was desperate to make them have fun again, so much so that she'd even be willing to embarrass herself dancing just to make them laugh. But the somber tone that had fallen over the group was far from over.

"What the hell is she doing in here?" Elena whipped around to be faced by blue eyes so filled with fury they were nearly black.

"I'm sorry," Stefan stuttered out, followed by the rest of the Original guys as they chased after Damon. "We kept him away for as long as we could."

Elena whipped her head back towards Caroline, her mouth ajar. "Caroline! You told me you talked to him!"

"Nobody told me anything! And what in the fuck are you wearing?" Damon made a move to drag Elena out, but Elijah and Klaus held him back.

"Really, Stefan?" Lexi groaned. "You had to let him loose when he was at his angry stage of drunkenness?"

"Angry?" Damon shouted. "Are you kidding me? I'm furious!" His gaze was now directly on Elena. "I specifically said you weren't here to screw around and yet here you are, dressed like a hooker and probably drunk off your ass..."

"Oh my god, get him out of here!" Anna yelled at the guys behind him.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" Damon roared then put his focus back on Elena. "I should fire you!"

Suddenly the room was filled with arguments. The girls were berating the boys for not keeping Damon away and the boys were arguing with Damon and defending themselves. Elena stood frozen in her spot, arms crossed over her chest as she desperately scrambled in her mind for ideas on how to rectify the situation.

"Everyone shut up!" The arguing ceased at Katherine's shrill scream. Once everyone was silent, Katherine began again in a calm but tired tone. "Look, obviously this party is long overdue for a shut down. Nobody's having a good time and I think it's best if we all just call it a night and go to bed." She turned to Damon. "You: stop being a dick and sleep it off. Elena didn't know that we were lying to her." Katherine then pivoted to Elena. "And you: leave… now. Go to sleep, write, whatever. It's just best if you're not around. As for the rest of us, let's round up security and tell them to clear everyone out." She seemed to be finished but she added one last thought. "And if any of you see or hear Bernadine trying to clean anything tomorrow, you stop her immediately. We're all adults here and we can clean up our own mess…. Or hire someone else to do it. But bottom line: she is not to touch any of it. Is that clear?"

The room of so-called adults looked like a bunch of scolded children, all equally guilty in the roles they'd played that evening. They began to shuffle out to their various places, a few of them offering cheek kisses or hugs to Stefan to lackadaisically congratulate him on his birthday. Before any could really exit though, they were interrupted by a loud bang and an uproar of cheers. Elena glanced out one of the kitchen windows that overlooked the backyard. The fireworks had started, but there wasn't a person in the room that was in a good enough mood to enjoy them.

* * *

Elena kicked the sheets off of her body with a groan. She was far too wired from the party and the fight to even contemplate sleeping, even though it had ended hours earlier. Once Katherine had given the marching orders, Elena had immediately gone upstairs and cleaned herself up. She'd felt practically dirty while taking off her Caroline-chosen outfit. Damon's hateful glare and cruel words made her feel exactly like what she'd been called out on: a whore. But her anger had grown when she realized she'd done nothing wrong. Once again, her evening had been ruined by him over things she hadn't even done. She was sure the pure loathing that was racing through her veins was not helping her cause when it came to falling asleep.

As Elena's thoughts ran over the events of that night for the thousandth time, she suddenly remembered that her blazer was still sitting on a chair in the kitchen. Her overactive brain began to convince herself that if she didn't get the jacket now, whatever cleaning crew would come in that morning would probably chuck it in the trash. Elena had seen plenty of articles of clothing downstairs flung carelessly on the floor that did not belong to any of the owners. Now fully anxious, she took a deep breath and stumbled out of her bedroom and down the stairs.

Once Elena was in the kitchen, she spotted her jacket easily, the bright whiteness of it somehow untarnished by the wildness of the party only hours before. It was a miracle no one had spilled any beer or puked on it. Elena was about to head back up to her room, but she was reminded of just how painfully boring it had been trying to fall asleep for the past few hours. Maybe if she did something else, she could tire herself out enough to get at least a few hours of sleep.

Elena plopped down at the small table located on the outskirts of the kitchen, the one with a large bay window that held a view of the dark evening mountainscape and a large bench that was incredibly comfortable. Elena had only eaten at this table for breakfast once, the counter or dining room the preferred eating spot of the Originals. But now that she was here and her ass was this comfy, she wondered why she didn't eat every meal here. It was far too agreeable.

Elena ran her fingers over some of the magazines Caroline had left and picked one up, happy that one of the dim kitchen lights had been left on so she could see. It would be good to just lose her mind in something nonsensical. Elena was halfway through an article on removing unwanted body hair when she suddenly heard a clamor and a light laugh from the other entrance into the kitchen. Elena held back a gasp seeing Damon stumble into the room, a boyish smile across his sculpted face. He was still wearing his outfit from the evening, black jeans and button down, but the shirt was unbuttoned to almost halfway down his muscled chest. Her entire body was tense, trying not to move and hoping he wouldn't look in the dark corner that held the table. Elena watched as he meandered over to the refrigerator, humming a slight tune under his breath that Elena couldn't identify. Obviously angry drunk Damon was gone and silly drunk Damon had arrived. She watched the smile turn into a full out grin as he pulled out the tart that the girls had gorged on earlier. Elena scrunched her eyes closed, her mind now retreating to childlike tactics with an "I can't see him, so he can't see me" mentality. She heard him hum his little tune as he pulled out silverware but she didn't stay invisible for too long.

"Oh."

The word rang out in the room loud and clear. Elena opened her eyes slowly, making contact with his piercing blues. Damon had obviously planned on sitting in the exact place she was in, and had finally spotted her. He was stopped in his position, tart in one hand and fork in the other, staring at Elena with a curious yet also guilty expression. Elena bit her lip nervously. She prepared herself for an onslaught of hate, but after a few moments of awkward silence, she wondered if it was ever going to come.

Damon was obviously fighting some internal battle as well, but he seemed to get over it far more quickly than she did. He turned back around and Elena let out the breath she'd been holding, feeling far more relieved knowing he was leaving. But instead of heading back out the door, he simply walked over to the silverware drawer and plucked out another fork. He walked back over to the chair opposite Elena and sat down. Looking back up at her, he held out the fork. Elena stared at it, momentarily confused.

"Think of it as a peace offering," Damon mumbled, his voice raspier than it had been earlier. Elena still stared down at the fork, rather than him so he tried to placate her again, clearing his throat. "Look, there are at least a good two servings left. I can't eat it all by myself."

Elena let her bottom lip out of her teeth's grasp. She wasn't quite hungry, but she really would do almost anything to relieve the thick tension that lay in the air. And if that meant sharing a dessert with Damon, she'd do it.

"Thank you," she acquiesced.

"No problem. Just because I'm on vacation doesn't mean I can let this killer body go." His words were lighthearted and in any other situation, Elena might have laughed, but his tone and the atmosphere of the room were far too somber to do any joking. The tension she'd hoped might have faded was still there, and it was strong. Elena's images of seeing Damon again had been filled with her slapping him across the face or calling him out for being a douchebag, but now that she was alone with him and this close to him, all she wanted to do was apologize. His face looked ashamed and tired, his gaze downcast toward his food rather than her.

"Look, Damon, I didn't know," Elena attested. He didn't look up, but his motions slowed considerably. "I swear, Caroline told me that she talked to you and that although you fought it for a bit, you finally gave in. I would _never_ have gone if she had told me I didn't have your permission." He still wasn't speaking, but his eyes had finally moved upwards to meet hers. Under his stare, Elena was now more desperate than ever. The real fear of losing her job began to kick in. Although the gig hadn't been all fun and games, it was far better than doing interviews day in and day out back in the States.

Elena was about to protest again, but Damon stopped her. "I know, Elena. Everyone was sort of plotting against us tonight." He paused, taking another bite. "Well, plotting against me. They were plotting _for _you. They just wanted you to have a good time, so obviously I'm the asshole." He stared at her for a few seconds before continuing. "So, was it worth it? Did you have fun?"

Elena opened and closed her mouth like a fish before divulging. "No, not really." Damon laughed and Elena let out a small smile. "It's not much fun being the only sober person at a party full of drunken people."

"You really didn't drink anything?" Damon asked, genuinely surprised.

Elena shook her head back and forth. "Nope. Seriously, I did my best to follow your rules. The outfit, too, that was all Caroline. I told her you would hate it." Elena's eyes went down to the tart as she took her first bite. It was still as good as it had been a few hours ago.

Damon let out another laugh. "Believe me, Elena. I did not hate that outfit. That was _not_ the problem." Elena looked back up, expecting a teasing expression on his face, but instead she was confronted with eyes so dark they were almost black. Elena swallowed, caught in his intense gaze. She waited for Damon to break it, realizing quickly that she didn't have the power to do so.

Elena felt like a weight had been lifted off of her chest when he finally did cut off their eye contact. The boyish smile reappeared as he dropped the fork onto the plate and leaned back in his chair to cross his arms. "Well, good thing it was my birthday party or else I'd be a little less inclined to let you off the hook," he grinned. "But, in all seriousness, that's the last one you'll be attending unless I say otherwise. We've got to get this book done."

Elena nodded her head in agreement. "Speaking of which, when can I interview you again?"

Damon pursed his lips, contemplating her question. "Definitely not until later tomorrow. This hangover will be a bitch to get over. Way too many shots." Damon's gaze caught hers again when he let out an exasperated sigh. "God, I don't know how I'm going to do this."

Elena's eyebrows crinkled. "What do you mean? You're just answering questions. You're not the one writing the book."

"But I'm going to have to be incredibly honest with you, painfully so, if we want these books to sell. I'm a compelling guy, but my outward appeal won't be enough to make this a bestseller unless we're guaranteeing some serious dirt. I'm talking about the kind of dirt that needs follow up interviews on the Today show."

Elena swallowed again. "Damon, _everyone_ has that kind of dirt. It's not like it's going to be hard to find."

Damon looked at her inquisitively, almost as if he wondered what _she _could possibly have done that entailed her having dirt of any kind. "Finding it isn't the problem. I know what _it_ is… I'm just not a big fan of sharing. Especially with a stranger. No offense."

"Well, I'm not going to be a stranger much longer." Elena blushed at Damon's head snapping up, realizing the implied connotation behind her words. "I didn't mean like the other girls… just that… well, we're living in a house together for six months. We're going to have some level of bonding." Damon obviously got over her wordage slip-up fairly quickly and Elena felt instant relief. The presence of the expectation that they were supposed to get together in the end, just like every fairy tale required, was very prominent and Elena would have had to have been blind not to notice it. She hoped to avoid any actual talking about it for as long as possible. "Besides, you're opening up to me right now."

Damon laughed. "Yeah, well I'm drunk so…"

Elena's eyes sparked and her smile grew wide. "That's it!"

"What is?"

"You're planning on getting drunk a lot while you're here, am I correct?" Damon nodded his head in response. "Then we can conduct interviews while you're wasted. People always tell the truth when they're hammered. You'll lose the hesitation and you'll definitely spill all of your dirty little secrets."

Elena, hoping the large smile on her face would convince him, waited for a response. He was silent for much longer than Elena liked. Damon trailed his finger around the edge of the plate before replying, "You really do know how to kill a buzz," his trademark smirk firmly in place.

Elena laughed softly, before standing up, grabbing the now empty plate and the two forks and walking them over to the sink. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm cleaning up after you. I'm your _employee_, remember?" Elena smirked back at him.

Damon chuckled, standing up from his position. "Speaking of which," he fumbled through his pockets before procuring a small slip of paper with a grin. "This is for you." He placed it in her hands, but once their fingers touched, he didn't let go. In fact, she watched, as though from outside of her own body, as he twisted his fingers in hers. Elena's eyes shot up to his own and felt her mouth go dry at his sad expression. "And I owe you an apology." Elena watched his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. "I'm sorry, Elena. Truly. I shouldn't ever treat you like trash."

The moment was sparked with something, something Elena wasn't quite able to identify, but it was enough to make her audibly gasp when it was suddenly ripped away from her. Damon's hands untangled from hers quickly, as though he noticed the sudden absence of whatever it had been, too. Without another word, Damon exited swiftly, so much so that Elena had to wonder if she'd only dreamt the past few minutes. But the very real paper still in her hand proved otherwise. Elena unfolded it and sucked in a deep breath as she saw the one five and the four zeroes trailing after it. He'd paid her in advance; she hadn't been expecting this check until Friday. To be quite honest, Elena wasn't ever sure she would ever be prepared for holding that much money in her hands. Elena's body let out a shudder as her brain tried to process all of the different emotions of the past few days, combined with the overwhelming feeling that she was going absolutely mad.

**OH MY GOSH PLEASE DON'T HATE ME FOR THE LENGTH AND/OR QUALITY. I swear, I've been ridiculously critical of myself with this past chapter and am not too pleased with the results, but I do hope I lived up to the high standards that have been set for me. What did you all think? Happy it was this long or should I have cut it off sooner? I also apologize for the more racy stuff in this chapter. I'm an Elena in real life so if it makes you uncomfortable (since this is a T fic) let me know. Are you as depressed as I am with the latest on Bernadine? :( I hated writing that in, but que sera, sera. (I take French so I have no clue if that worked there, but it sounded nice hahaha.) Someone mentioned pacing in the last set of reviews, and I want to check with everyone that you agree that this fic is going at a good pace. Also, if you have any favorite lines, you can include those in your review as well. I love seeing you guys get a chuckle out of the things I write :) **

**Finally, if you found my fic from either of the places mentioned above (or another! I want to properly thank any person that recommends my fic) let me know in your review. I love you all the same whether you're a newbie or have been reading my crap since Safe and Sound.**

**I'll see you all next Sunday! (In other news, I got a Macbook Pro on Friday so I'll be writing from that now... not that you all care, but oh well ;) )**

**love love love :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Lover's Eyes

**OH MY FREAKING GRACIOUS! Alright, I'm going to have to make these notes a bit shorter than normal because I'm so freaking exhausted. It's been a busy, busy day with lots of blog stuff on top of the fact that I had to finish this chapter and boy, this story just would not shut up. 8,000 FREAKING WORDS YOU GUYS I'M BASICALLY DEAD. I apologize for how late this is going up (hey I still got it up on Sunday), totally my bad because I procrastinated, but it's here now and I really hope you guys like it. In other news, I GOT TO 100 REVIEWS THIS WEEK. Sorry for all of the caps lock but this has never happened to me before for a story. We're only about thirty percent of the way into this fic so the fact that I've already hit one hundred is crazy. Keep it up you guys. I'm so glad you all are liking this story this much and it makes me giddy to give you a new chapter every week.**

**Alright, I have to go to sleep now but I hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

Chapter 7: Lover's Eyes

_But do not ask the price I pay,  
I must live with my quiet rage,  
Tame the ghosts in my head,  
That run wild and wish me dead.  
Should you shake my ash to the wind  
Lord, forget all of my sins  
Oh, let me die where I lie  
Neath the curse of my lover's eyes_

If Elena could describe the Originals on vacation in one word, it would be lazy. As a matter of fact, they were the laziest group of people she'd ever interacted with. Elena's more rational mind realized that just because they were known for partying didn't mean it was possible to have a fiesta every day. If they got wasted every single day of the six months, they'd end up in the emergency room. But it still blew her away that these people were content with doing practically nothing and they were only a week in.

The girls spent their days sleeping in and then waking up just to lay out at the pool. They only moved for food, the bathroom, or when they wanted to take a quick dip when it was too hot. They spent the evenings with leisurely dinners and long conversations, then watching a movie together from the ridiculous plethora of DVDs in their home theater. In fact, Elena would consider their lifestyles quite unhealthy except for the fact that they each did spend at least one hour a day in the home gym.

The boys were a step up from the girls, at least. They would leave the house for a few hours, typically to go do something like hunt or play sports. But the rest of their day was spent in the same manner as the girls, barely moving and barely functioning.

Because the rest of the house was so low energy, Elena was required to follow in their footsteps and it left the freakishly antsy girl in complete and utter boredom. Thankfully, the morning after the party incident, Elena had woken up to find a huge box in the hall outside of her bedroom door. Upon opening it, Elena had discovered countless pictures, documents, and various other mementos from Damon's childhood. Elena spent a few hours sorting through the materials, organizing them from the mess they'd been presented to her in. Once she'd finished, she had opened up her laptop and started writing. It felt wonderful to hear the clacking of her keys again after such a prolonged hiatus. Writing felt like a luxury to Elena, one that she had cherished ever since she was a little girl. And surprisingly enough, the things Damon had given her had provided an ease with which she was only occasionally familiar with. She'd assumed that writing about Damon would have been as difficult as his personality was, but the second she began talking in faux first-person, the words flowed out of her with almost no hesitation. Granted, Elena wasn't naïve. She had six long months of writing ahead and in those six months, she had no doubt she'd hit countless walls and blocks. But for now, she valued the lenience that she'd received.

Although Elena would never admit it, she enjoyed learning these things about Damon, things that very few people knew (well, at least very little people knew _now)_. Like the fact that Damon had bitten a kid in preschool simply because he wasn't playing the way he wanted him to. Or the fact that Damon had skipped the same grade Elena had: first. The pictures were especially intriguing for her. Although the only things that were helpful on those were the shorthand descriptions on the back, she still liked looking at pictures of young Damon and also young Stefan, both of whom were devilishly cute even back in the day. She wondered if they'd ever even had an awkward stage or if Damon had just purposefully left out those pictures.

Of course, because of this effortless writing, she'd dragged the majority of the words she could out of the things Damon had provided her with in only a day or two. Once again, a Damon appearance was rare and she didn't want to push him into an interview quite yet. Besides, they'd seemingly left it off with the idea that they'd only do an interview when Damon was intoxicated. With a lack of parties came a lack of drunken antics, so Elena was out of luck when it came to obtaining new information.

Elena also didn't feel quite comfortable with joining in with the girls and their "fun." It felt a bit awkward considering the last time they'd all hung out in a group, it had been a plot to undermine Damon's authority. Elena did eat with them at lunch and enjoyed herself listening to them gossip about various topics. Every other meal, though, she ate by herself. Elena was acutely aware of the loud, rambunctious dinners the gang had every night around the large dining room table, but Elena _definitely_ didn't feel comfortable attending those. She assumed the others weren't inviting her along because they didn't want to get Elena into any more trouble, but a niggling sense of self-doubt told her it was because she was genuinely not wanted. Elena was highly cautious when it came to toeing the line with Damon. Of course, his rules were unfair and he had been unnecessarily strict, but he still deserved the same respect she'd give any boss. Plus, it was a little hard to feel rebellious when you were able to cash a $50,000 check once a week.

Elena had quickly grown bored with entertaining herself. She'd spent the past few days watching countless hours of shitty television, surfing the internet, and reading books on her Kindle. Other than the lunches, Elena was basically without human interaction and it was starting to affect her mental health. Finally, on Sunday, she'd grown sick of sitting around. She had to do something, anything to pass the time. She had to get out of the room, out of the house. Screw Damon and his rules. Elena decided that she would head into town and run some errands. She needed to cash her check and finding an international bank would be a bit of a struggle. Plus, Elena knew that she had a lot of requests for phone calls, especially from Bonnie and her parents.

Elena had already spent the morning straightening her hair to perfection, using the knowledge she'd gained from watching the countless beauty guru videos on Youtube the day before. She knew the sweats she was wearing weren't going to cut it, so she headed into her closet, selecting a pair of slouchy boyfriend jeans and a white sleeveless blouse. Elena added a trendy Peter Pan collar necklace so that her outfit wasn't so simple and a pair of neutral two-tone flats. She tossed her phone, her wallet, and her check into her mint green handbag and headed out the door.

Since it was still early, around ten o'clock, Elena assumed that she would be alone once she came downstairs. She hoped she would be able to locate Bernadine since she needed the driver to get into town. Elena walked into the kitchen but was instead confronted by another member of the house: Klaus.

"Hello, love." Elena knew why any girl would fall for him. His accent was ridiculously alluring, so much so that even grounded Elena could feel her knees weaken after only two syllables. He was sitting at the breakfast table, eating a piece of toast and reading what looked to be the news on his iPad.

"Hey," Elena replied, fiddling with the strap of her bag. "What are you doing up so early?"

Klaus grinned, his smile another one of his far too appealing traits. "It's a Sunday habit. Ever since I can remember, I wake up early to go out to eat breakfast and read the paper. A bit more difficult while I'm abroad since I can't understand the newspapers here for shit so I've transitioned the habit to an at-home one."

Elena nodded. "Do you know where Bernadine is?"

"Sundays are her day off," Klaus replied nonchalantly, his eyes focused on his iPad again. Elena had to fight the urge to growl when she heard that. Even Bernadine had a day off. Elena really needed to negotiate a day where she could be "off the clock" so to speak. Granted, she hadn't been doing much of anything lately, but hopefully that would change soon. "Why? What do you need?"

"Oh, nothing," Elena replied, but she cursed mentally realizing she'd replied far too quickly.

Klaus smirked and leaned back into his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're a terrible liar, Elena."

Elena cleared her throat. "I was just planning on heading into town." She suddenly felt very uncomfortable and very stupid, like a child that had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Would Klaus immediately run to Damon and report her latest transgression? She trusted the girls, but a fellow male Original was a different story. "Run some errands." Her last sentence sounded like a question.

Klaus laughed. "You look like you're about to vomit. Look, I love Damon like a brother, but he's way too fucking anal for my taste. I'm not going to tell on you." He stood and began clearing his place. "Unfortunately, your big plans are a no can do, sweetheart. The whole staff gets Sundays off so you're shit out of luck on getting a driver." He walked around the table with a large grin directed towards her. "Of course, there is one other option."

Elena gulped, the prior nerves still very much present. "And that is?"

"I could take you," Klaus shrugged, dumping his plate in the sink and turning on the faucet. "That giant garage on the property isn't exactly empty. I don't have a problem doing it… that is, if I get something in return." Obviously, Elena's face showed a severe amount of fear which caused him to chuckle again. "Don't look so terrified, Elena." He approached her. "I just have to know… what in the hell is my boy Damon hiding? Secretly loves Justin Bieber? Sleeps with a blankie? Or better yet, does he write fan fiction? I've always had a theory that he writes the gay stuff for his own movies."

Elena let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and laughed. "Well, regrettably, Damon has yet to spill any of his little secrets to me yet, but can I take a rain check?"

Klaus smirked. "Sure thing. But I'm serious. I want the best damn secret he's got. I need something to torture him with when he tries to get into my kitchen."

"Are you sure you're okay with taking me? I really don't want to mess up your Sunday routine."

"No, it's fine. In fact, I need to go into town as well to do a few things. You're just motivating me to stop procrastinating on them. I'll meet you out at the garage in five."

* * *

Elena found the garage fairly easily. It was on the exit side of the large rounded driveway and only took her about three minutes to walk to. It was a large log building, similar to the main house, but its architecture was a bit more modern. She approached the frosted glass double doors and attempted to turn the knob but it was locked. She sighed and leaned against the building, waiting for Klaus to show up.

He arrived after a few minutes and punched in a code in the small panel on the right side, holding the door open for Elena after he'd pulled it open. Once inside, Elena admired the large room. It was a enormous, wide-open space with tiled floors, holding at least ten different and incredibly expensive cars. You could walk up large oak stairs to an open balcony that overlooked the vehicles if you so desired. Elena even noticed a small kitchen and bar up top with a booth and stools, as if some of the guests spent prolonged time in there.

"Kol, Elijah, and I have a thing for cars," Klaus remarked, heading over to a box on the wall that held the keys for each vehicle. "It's one of our requirements for wherever we stay: a place for our toys."

Elena's eyes widened. "Did you ship all of these cars over?"

"Nah," Klaus replied with a smirk. "We just rent these while we're over here and have them delivered before we arrive. That way we can try out some of the newest models and then determine if we want to purchase them once we get back to LA." He pivoted back towards Elena. "And to answer your question, yes, it is fabulously wonderful to have this kind of money."

Elena giggled. She could see why Caroline and Klaus were a couple. Although Caroline was her own brand of crazy, Klaus had an infinity for dramatic flair as well.

"Here we are!" Klaus walked past her and Elena watched as a bright red sports car towards her right lit up and beeped. She followed Klaus as he approached the vehicle and held the passenger door open for her. "M'lady," he instructed in a devious tone. Elena slid into the black leather seats, in awe of how heavenly comfortable they were. Klaus entered on the other side, turning the keys into the ignition and pressing a button that opened up the large glass plated garage door. They slipped out onto the driveway and Elena let out a giggle as she felt the hood of the car rise up and back, transforming the speedy sports car into a convertible.

"So, why the love affair with cars?" Elena asked once they were on the main road.

"Sex." Klaus turned his head for a moment, obviously wanting to see Elena's reaction to his statement. He was rewarded with a faint blush and a turn of the head. Eye contact was a bit too much for her when that word hung in the air.

"Care to elaborate?" Elena inquired after calming herself down. She maintained her gaze straight ahead.

"Well, cars remind me of sex," he replied. "The sleekness, the luxury. The thrill of sex is similar to the same thrill that you get when you go over a hundred in one of these babies. Of course, sex is a hell of a lot better than a car, don't get me wrong. I'm not that psychotic guy who fucks his tailpipe or anything. But I mean, come on," he paused and shot a grin at Elena. "You had to hold back a moan when you slid into the seat didn't you?"

Elena's blush grew even fiercer. "I knew it," he chuckled. "So when I see a car and the first thing that comes to mind is sex, I know I have to get it."

"That's a deeply thought out selection process there, Mr. Mikaelson," Elena teased.

"What can I say? I'm a man of very few interests."

They arrived in town a few minutes later and Klaus dropped Elena off outside of a café, agreeing to meet back up at one. Elena headed into the shop and thankfully was able to order a coffee and bagel in English. The town the Originals had selected was a large tourist hub, so the locals had grown accustomed to speaking another language. She was also referred to an international bank a few blocks down where she could cash her check.

Elena sat down in one of the comfy leather chairs, setting her mug and plate in front of her and digging for her phone. She grinned widely, seeing that she had full service. She ate half of her breakfast, watching the texts she hadn't been able to receive pile into her inbox and scrolled through them. The majority were from Bonnie, some from before Elena had let her know over email that she didn't have service and some after, simply relaying trivial facts about her day. Elena knew she would have to call her, but decided to ring her parents first. After all, family was her first priority.

Elena was about to select the contact labeled home when a sudden thought hit her. "Shit," she mumbled under her breath. This was definitely going under her dumb blonde moments for the day. She'd completely blanked on the concept of time zones and the fact that if she rung her parents now, she'd be calling her parents at five in the morning. Not exactly model daughter behavior. If she wanted to call Bonnie, she'd have to wait _another _three hours, considering that it was two on the west coast. What was she going to do? She wanted to make sure she made the calls, but Klaus was picking her up at one. She would at least be able to speak to her parents, but Bonnie would be ridiculously pissed if she didn't get a call, and Elena didn't know the next time she'd be able to get into town. She spun to another contact, grateful that Klaus had given her his cell number in case she got lost or something.

"Are you alright?" Elena smiled a bit at how concerned he sounded.

"Give me a bit of credit. I've only been alone for ten minutes." She heard his relieved chuckle on the other end. "I've run into a bit of a problem," Elena murmured, biting her lip. "I totally forgot about the whole time zone thing so I'm not able to reach the people I want to unless I stay in town for a bit longer."

"No problem," he replied. "I do have to get back to the house though, but I'll harass one of the others to come pick you up later this afternoon, if you want."

"That would be fantastic," Elena exclaimed. "Thank you so much for everything today, Klaus."

After she'd hung up, Elena decided to text Bonnie, letting her know that she better have her ass near her phone today or else she wasn't going to get a call the entire summer. Elena now had some time to kill, so she found the Kindle app on her phone and was able to pick up right where she had left off at home.

Elena spent a few more hours enjoying the small downtown area. She deposited her check at the bank, having to hold back a large gulp as she endorsed it. She'd window shopped a bit, even buying a French pastry in a small bakery. Once it was late enough that she could call her family, Elena located a small park bench and plopped down.

She dialed her parents first and her mother answered. Her mom sounded like an overly excited young child, just happy to hear her daughter's voice after so long. Unfortunately, her father was on-call at the local hospital so he wouldn't be able to talk. Elena's mother filled her in on all of the small-town gossip since Elena wasn't allowed to tell her anything about her own experiences.

"And Jeremy? Have you seen him recently?" Elena asked hesitatingly.

"He's doing alright," Miranda replied in a soothing tone. Jeremy had been in a short-term care facility for mental disorders over the past few years. "They recently switched his therapist and he's apparently been opening up much more to him."

Elena's face held a sad smile. She hadn't seen her brother in ages and whenever she thought about him, a pang of guilt always shot through her chest. "Good. I'm glad."

Their conversation moved on to lighter topics, including who was married and who was pregnant out of the people Elena went to high school with. Elena teared up when she had to say goodbye to her mom. She hadn't always been close to her parents, but they'd reconciled shortly before Elena had graduated college. Elena blamed the tears less on her attachment to her mother and more on the fact that she just wanted to be in a safe, familiar place. Where she was now definitely didn't feel too safe and familiar was the last word she'd used to describe it.

Elena selected Bonnie's number next. Thankfully, her friend had heeded her warning and picked up after the first ring. Bonnie ranted about her classes and how miserably lonely she was in the apartment all by herself. She seethed mostly about the fact that she had to cook for herself which caused Elena to laugh and roll her eyes. Similarly to her parents, Bonnie had already been told everything that she could. Although Elena really did hate the fact that she wasn't able to share anything with her friend or family, she was glad to avoid Bonnie's judgmental comments that were guaranteed if she could.

Bonnie's call was abruptly cut off when Elena noticed that her phone was beeping, indicating that she'd received a text. Noting the time, Elena said goodbye to her best friend, knowing that the message was probably from whoever was going to pick her up. After clicking "end", Elena read the message… from Klaus.

_I'm so sorry x_

Elena stared at the text in confusion until suddenly the message was wiped away with an incoming phone call… from Damon.

Elena felt all of her muscles tighten as though she was preparing for battle. She clenched the sweaty fist that wasn't holding the phone and nervously pressed the accept button.

"Hello?" she said meekly.

"Where are you?" Elena cringed again at his impatient tone. The word _shit _repeated itself over and over again in her head.

"Umm, right in front of the main park entrance." Elena heard the click on the other end indicating that he'd hung up. Lost for words, Elena rapidly selected Klaus' number.

"Elena, I-" Klaus started at the ring.

"How the hell did 'someone' in your mind equate to Damon? He's going to kill me!" Elena yelped.

"I'm really sorry. I was asking Stefan if he could pick you up, but then Damon walked in and overheard me asking. I couldn't stop him." Klaus took a deep breath. "I swear I didn't mean for this to happen."

Elena let out a large exhale, her nerves calming a bit knowing that she hadn't been intentionally sabotaged. "It's alright. I have to clean up my own messes. Thanks again for your help this morning." Elena hung up, seeing an incredibly expensive car she recognized from the garage pull in front of her. Though the car had tinted windows, she knew it was his.

She grabbed her bag and walked around to the passenger side, sliding in and checking out of the corner of her eye for Damon's expression. His knuckles were grasped tightly around the edge of the steering wheel, white with tension. He was looking straight ahead, as though just the site of her was disgusting. Elena was barely able to fasten her seatbelt before Damon sped off down the road.

They sat in silence for a few moments, Elena not quite sure whether she should hold her tongue or apologize profusely. Of course, her blabbermouth-like tendencies caused the word vomit to flow out fairly quickly.

"Damon, I am so-"

"Don't say it." The way he spoke was as if each word were its own sentence, each syllable punctuated with venom. The knots in Elena's stomach grew even tighter. This was it. She'd finally crossed the line. She'd done the one thing she wasn't supposed to do. These fears didn't shut her up, though. The words just kept coming.

"No, Damon, I have to get this out there." Thankfully, he didn't interrupt her. "I am so sorry that I left, but I just wanted to get out of the house. I swear, I did all of the work on your book that I could. The box was very helpful, but I haven't done any interviews with you yet so I really couldn't do much more. I only came into town to run some quick errands, but I was planning on coming back and I know you're furious with me right now, but-"

"Elena!" He yelled, making her halt in her words. "I'm not angry with you!" That truly did make Elena stop. She noticed as he tried to ease the tension from his face and offer her a more hospitable expression, but he was failing miserably. His voice was calmer now as he spoke. "I _should_ be giving you a day off to do whatever it is you need to do. You're fine."

Elena gulped. She was relieved she wasn't going to have to deal with another Damon Salvatore meltdown caused by her, but she could sense that he was about to meltdown for a completely different reason.

Meekly, Elena inquired, "Well then why do you look like you're about to kill me?"

Damon smirked and then let out a small laugh, some of the tension lines fading from his face. "I just…" Damon glanced at her, as though trying to figure out if he could trust her with the information. "I just got word that my parents are flying in to have dinner with us in a few weeks."

"Oh," Elena replied. Damon looked so somber it was as if he'd just announced he'd been diagnosed with cancer. "I'm assuming that's bad?"

Damon laughed again, but this time it was far more bitter. "The word _catastrophic_ comes to mind."

Elena felt like she had to tread water carefully in this situation. She was his employee, so there were certain lines she wasn't allowed to cross. But she was also being paid to know everything about him, even the bad. She took a deep breath and asked, "Care to share?"

"Oh, honey, you're going to need some serious alcohol to get me to talk about my parents," Damon interjected. Elena noticed that some of the tension was gone and his tone was lighter. "Why don't we just head back to the house, alright?"

Elena nodded in agreement. "Thank you for picking me up."

"Did you get everything you needed done?"

"Yeah, I was able to speak to my family." Elena noted his curious expression and shut down any questions immediately. "And I stuck with the guidelines from the NDA. Don't worry. They're pretty talkative people so they have enough to ramble on about without my help."

"Is it hard?"

Elena crinkled her eyebrows. "Is what hard?"

"Not being able to tell them anything."

Elena took in a small amount of breath, not quite sure how to answer the question. "A little. I mean, this is a bit of a whirlwind experience for me so it's odd not to be able to talk about it with anyone. But I get it out in other ways."

Damon nodded his head in understanding. "You write." He stated it without question.

Elena was surprised. "Um, yeah. Just in a journal." Elena had been writing in a journal since she was in middle school, and she rarely went a day without jotting even the shortest of entries down. Since she'd been here, the entries were much longer and more elaborate, given that she was unable to speak about it with anyone else. "It's incredibly cathartic."

"I have no doubt," Damon agreed. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes until Damon interrupted. "So about an interview, the gang's going out tomorrow night."

"Alright," Elena agreed. "So make myself scarce and wait for you to come upstairs?"

Damon smirked. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

Elena stared ahead wearing a matching smirk of her own. "You're aware of how ridiculous this is, right?"

Damon laughed. "Abso-fucking-lutely."

* * *

Elena was lying on her stomach across her bed, scanning through various clothing sites just to kill time. She had woken up to a surprise, given the fact that a beaming Lexi was waiting for her outside her door. For some unknown reason, the concept of treating Elena like a leper had been called off and she'd been invited to go to the park with the rest of the girls. Bernadette had packed a picnic lunch and the ladies, decked out in straw fedoras and vintage sunglasses, headed to lay out, ride swan boats in the lake, and even acted like idiots on the playground. Their day was cut awkwardly short, though, when the girls realized they would have to head back to the house if they were to get ready in time. Driving back, Elena felt a bit like the underage sister who couldn't join in on the older girls' fun.

Once the Originals had left to go downtown, Elena ate a quiet dinner with Bernadette and Warren and then went back into her room with a plate of Bernadette's blackberry cobbler. She'd spent the rest of the evening trying to not think about the inevitable, watching crappy TV shows on Netflix and playing a few rounds of online Scrabble, but the knot in her stomach was a harsh reminder of the visitor she was going to have.

Elena was fading pretty quickly. It was almost two in the morning and she had no clue when they were getting back. She made a mental reminder to make sure she had coffee for the next time. She was slowly falling asleep on her pillow, when a sharp knock at her door interrupted her thoughts. Elena was surprised he'd actually knocked, assuming he would just bust right in through the door. She took a deep breath and slid off of the bed, wringing her hands as she headed to answer it. She prayed she got a version of drunken Damon that involved something other than his insults and anger.

Elena opened the door with a small smile on her face. He was outside, wearing what she now considered to be his uniform of dark shirt and dark pants. He nodded his head in greeting and then walked past her into the room. Elena gulped as she watched him settle into the chair across from her bed. She had absolutely no clue what to expect and she felt as though she might drown in the pure awkwardness of the situation.

Elena settled on top of her bed, notebook with questions she'd crafted on one side of her and tape recorder on the other. She wasn't sure where to start, so she determined that politeness was always the best way to go. "So how'd it go?" she asked meekly.

"Fantastic." He sounded as if someone had died, not like he'd just gotten back from the club with all of his friends. Elena looked up, curious to see what expression would accompany his somber tone, when she noticed his eyes were directed entirely at her cleavage.

_Shit, _she thought. _I should have changed._ Since the temperature had been scalding that day, Elena had chosen a fun gingham tie-front top that ended at her waist and a pair of mustard gold high-waisted shorts to wear to the park. She'd been mostly covered up throughout the day, but over time the shirt had ridden farther up her ribcage, exposing a good amount of midriff and the way she was sitting on the bed had her typically lacking cleavage spilling forward out of the top.

She considered getting up and putting on a robe or something, but realized the tension in the room was already thick enough without her making a pointed attempt to cover up. Instead, she cleared her throat and leaned back to minimize the amount of boob exposure, causing his gaze to shoot upwards back towards her eyes.

"Alright, ready for your first question?"

"Sure." Damon leaned back into the chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. Elena wondered if he'd drank so much that he'd already hit hangover mode.

"Damon, if you aren't feeling well and want to go to bed, I understand."

"Elena, really, I'm just tired. I have just as much of a responsibility to contribute to this book as you do. I'm drunk and willing to be open. Take advantage of it."

Elena faltered a bit, checking his eyes to see if he really meant what he said, but his serious expression convinced her to go on. "Okay." Elena pressed the red button on the recorder and ran her finger down the page, trying to determine which out of the questions she'd crafted she should select. Her index finger stopped on the third one down. "You're on a flight from Honolulu to Chicago non-stop. There is a fire in the back of the plane. You have enough time to make one phone call. Who do you call and what do you tell them?"

Damon's weary eyes suddenly lit up with surprise. "Going straight for the punch, aren't you Gilbert?"

"It's part of my method. I can get the easy stuff from you towards the end. Start with the serious, fill in the trivial later. Plus, I really want to get a better grasp of you so that it's easier to write in your voice."

Damon considered her for a moment, and then, without hesitation, replied, "Stefan… to tell him I love him and not to fuck up the Salvatore name any more than it already is."

The answer didn't really shock Elena, but she pursed her lips as though it had. "Because?"

"Because," Damon sighed. "He is the _only_ person that deserves to know that I'm going to die."

His explanation is what threw Elena. "Your parents don't deserve to know you're going to die? What about the other Originals?"

"Stefan will let the other Originals know, I'm sure in some sort of email with Comic Sans font." He laughed at his own joke, but it was filled with resentment. "As for my parents, I wouldn't want to let them know that their wish had been granted."

Elena felt her hand nervously play with her collarbone. The pain and hurt she saw in Damon's eyes was crippling. She had a very human desire to fix whatever she possibly could, simply to make those blue eyes sparkle again. His jaw was locked with tension as he stared out her window. This time when he pinched the bridge of his nose, she was convinced it was to stop any tears.

_Shit, _she thought for the second time that night. _This is sad drunk Damon._

* * *

Elena immediately pressed stop on the recorder and haphazardly tried to close her notebook. Her frantic motions interrupted Damon's thoughts and his gaze fell back on her. "What are you doing?" He'd meant to sound curious, but his exasperation and exhaustion made it sound as frustrated as he felt.

"That's all I have for tonight," Elena spluttered out as she smoothed her hair hurriedly.

Damon's incredibly depressing thought process switched tracks completely and his earlier and groggier state was replaced with a far more alert and sober awareness. "You're telling me you only have one question for me?"

Elena sighed, obviously caught in her lie. "It's just late, Damon. I think we should both go to bed." As she rambled out excuses, it hit Damon: was the issue that _he_ couldn't handle the deep stuff or that Elena couldn't? She was practically bright red in her furious attempt to stop the conversation from where it had been heading. A small part of him wondered if, embarrassingly enough, she'd noticed his fighting to stop any tears.

_Fuck his parents,_ Damon thought. He'd been mulling over their upcoming visit every minute of every hour since he'd heard. He hadn't seen either one of them in over five years and that had been for a reason. The fact that not only had his parents basically forced their way into his vacation, but that Stefan had wholeheartedly agreed to their visit was enough to cause him to act like a complete idiot tonight, his drinking continuous from the moment he stepped into the bar. He hadn't stopped at giddy drunk or angry drunk, shooting straight for "my life's a fucking nightmare" drunk and he'd cursed himself the entire way home for doing it when he knew he had an interview. He'd had to add it to the long list of things he hated about himself. On top of his stellar evening spent trying to numb his pain with alcohol had come the announcement of Elijah and Katherine's engagement, an announcement he'd had to greet with forced fake smiles and excitement. The shrill squeals of Caroline and Anna had been the instigators of shots four through seven.

_Fuck them, too. _Damon wasn't a big fan of being on a trip full of couples in the first place, but now one of them was just being horrendously senseless. It was difficult for Damon not to slap Elijah upside the head and ask him what was wrong with him. Even worse was watching the whispered sentiments of love between the other couples the whole night, each considering what it would be like to become engaged themselves. Damon had questioned whether he would make it to his hangover before he threw up.

But he'd trudged up the stairs to Elena's room anyways, determining that even if he was in mental hell, it would at least provide good material for the book and he could get _her_ off his back for a few more days. The mental confliction that came with Elena was enough to put him into an emotional coma.

So he was taken aback when he realized Elena was not in the mood to go deeper. What did she think was going to happen? His mind added another flaw to his ever-growing list: he'd pushed her away. All of the shit he'd pulled the past few days had made her so terrified of him that she'd almost started sobbing when he'd come to pick her up. Hell, he hadn't seen her the entire past week. Had she been avoiding him? He knew he could be intimidating when he wanted to be, and there were many times when he did, but right now, Elena looked like Bambi and he felt like he was holding an AK-47.

He let out a deep breath, making sure to calm his temperament as much as possible before speaking. "Elena, go ahead and ask me what you want to ask me." He knew it didn't really matter for the book whether or not she was afraid of him, but, for some unknown reason, he had a desperate urge to make her feel more at ease.

"Damon-"

"Elena." He interrupted with a teasing smile, hoping to convince her that he wasn't going to have a breakdown on her. "Keep. Going."

Elena looked hesitant, but with a deep breath she pressed the record button again and slowly flipped the notebook back to its original page. He could tell she was trying to find a question that wasn't nearly as deep as the previous one, but was struggling. She cleared her throat. "Alright, you can have one of the following two things: love or trust. Which do you choose and why?"

He contemplated it for a moment, genuinely not quite sure of how to answer her question. After a few moments, he decided. "Love."

"And why is that?" Elena had seemingly calmed down enough to get her interviewing groove back.

"Because love encompasses a sense of trust."

"Not necessarily," Elena shot back.

Damon smirked, pleased with her disagreement. "And why do you think that?"

"If my boyfriend cheats on me, I'll no longer trust him, but the love will still be there because it's stronger. If my mother always disappoints me, I'll still love her. I'll just know that I can't trust her with my happiness."

Damon felt a pang in his heart, her words hitting closer to home than she realized. He made sure to keep a sense of composure across his face though, not wanting to go back to scared Elena territory. "You're right. But I would still choose love."

"Because…?"

"Because like you said: love is the stronger of the two."

Elena pursed her lips, considering his answer. "I'm surprised. I thought you would choose the other."

Damon cocked his head. "Because…?" He repeated, mocking her previous tone.

She chuckled. "Because trust is selfish. You get what you want when others trust you."

"That's only if you manipulate their trust."

"You say that like you've never done so."

"Oh, I have. Believe me." He paused and regarded her for a moment. "You think I'm selfish?"

"I wasn't going to say it like that, but…" she grinned and he laughed a bit. "What I mean is that your needs are purely focused on yourself at the moment because that's where you are in your life. You made it clear to me at the coffee shop back home that you aren't fond of the relationships being formed by your housemates. I'm assuming that's because you don't believe in love, ergo I was surprised that you would choose love over trust."

Damon smiled. "Well, I'm a bundle of surprises then."

Elena blew out a breath. "You have no idea." She scanned her list again and then decided on her next question. "Think of the last person who you know that died. You have the chance to give them one hour of life back, but you have to give up one year of yours. Do you do it and why or why not?"

Damon didn't blink. "No." He could feel Elena's judgment hit him, displeased with just how selfish he could be. "Don't give me that look. My grandmother was the last person I know who died. She was suffering from leukemia. I wouldn't give her another minute of suffering for all the riches in the world." He recrossed his legs. "Now if I could give her an hour of _happiness_, replace the shit she went through in her true last hour, then _that_ I would do."

He watched Elena's judgmental expression fade and even saw a hint of guilt in her eyes. "If that _were_ the case, what would her last hour be like?"

Damon scoffed. "I don't know. Put her in a field somewhere with my grandfather so she could watch the sunset. Something poetic." He paused, checking Elena's reaction. "Oh god, I'm stopping now."

"Why?" Elena asked, a bit of laughter behind her tone.

"Because you have "he's so precious" written all over your face and I'd like to maintain some semblance of manliness around you."

Elena giggled. "So you have a girly drunk stage?"

Damon laughed. He was actually surprised he'd been able to push down his sad drunk-ness for the past few minutes. Although their conversation was serious, he was still able to laugh and make jokes just like he would at any other time of day. Maybe his desire to make Elena comfortable outweighed his desire to wallow in self-pity.

Or maybe he was just in way over his head.

* * *

Elena spun around in front of her mirror, feeling giddy for some unknown reason. She'd woken up and deciding to be particularly girly, she'd thrown on a simple white tank top and a fun, colorful, pastel-printed maxi skirt. Now she was finding utter fascination in spinning around while her skirt flew up around her and feeling like a princess.

Her interview with Damon had gone surprisingly well, minus the whole "him almost crying" thing. Beyond that, she'd gotten some really good information. They'd stopped doing some of the deeper questions after a while, instead divulging in the little details of his life. She'd even given him homework, asking him to create a timeline with the top ten major events of his life on it. Of course, since she'd referred to it as homework, he'd made a crass innuendo about how she was fulfilling every hot teacher fantasy he'd ever had. She'd shoved him out of her room, giggling like a love-struck teenager afterwards. She knew the person she was before coming on this trip would have smacked her upside the head for acting so doltish, but Elena was in far too good of a mood to care. She would have a full schedule the next few days, able to use all of the new information he'd given her to write to her heart's content.

Elena flopped down on her bed, giggling some more at the absurdity of her situation. She was happy, blissfully so. Damon had loosened the reins a lot, even becoming a pleasant person to be around. She was making friends with everyone else who lived in the house. Hell, she was even getting a taste of how the other half lived. Elena reminded herself that she was no longer part of the main half, or that she wouldn't be after she finished this job. The checks would keep on coming and once she got back home, the opportunities and fame wouldn't stop. Elena rolled her head, letting out a squeal into her pillow. Whoever had said that this job wasn't worth it was _completely_ wrong. Granted, _she'd_ said it wasn't worth it countless times but she knew now that her brain wasn't to be trusted.

Stefan had invited Elena to go out to brunch with the whole gang ("a hangover cure" he'd said wryly) but she didn't have to be downstairs for another twenty minutes or so. Elena rolled over onto her stomach, grabbing the remote on the side of the bed and clicking her television on. She flipped through the channels, silently contemplating how much money it had cost the Originals to get American television stations all the way in the Alps, when she paused after her eyes caught on a national news program.

It was recorded from the morning before and the female news anchor was speaking directly into the camera, delivering a pitch monologue. Elena's eyes widened when she saw the headline on the bottom of the screen.

_Why The Original Girl is No Longer So Original_

Elena frantically hit the volume button turning it up so she could hear.

"We're here with world renowned book critic Elizabeth Posey. Ms. Posey, reports have it that the newest Original girl is now hard at work on the famous director Damon Salvatore's book. In the past, these girls have received an exorbitant amount of wealth and fame for their writing. You're saying that their time is up?"

Ms. Posey, an older woman with ebony black hair and pale skin, crossed her legs and lifted her hands up in frustration. "These girls have been over for a long time, Tricia." She ranted, directing her comment towards the anchor. "Look, for some odd reason, these girls have slipped through the cracks of what it really takes to become a good writer and have made a name for themselves purely based off of whom they sleep with. I've gone along with it for a while, appreciating the fact that they at least have some talent, but honestly, enough is enough. I will not tolerate another Original girl who thinks she can get whatever she wants with a snap of her fingers and I don't think readers will either."

"Why do you assume that?" Tricia asked, her face lit up in faux enthusiasm.

"Because readers are tired of the same crap over and over again," Posey argued back. "They want something unique, something new. How many times are people going to buy a book and learn how their favorite director has insecurities and got over a drug habit? It's inane. Don't even get me started on the fact that they pretend the boys are writing these things themselves!" Posey then turned her head directly to the camera, as though staring directly at Elena. "Whoever this girl is better realize that she should pack up and run now, before she just becomes another laughing stock."

Tricia's face was now lit up with fake alarm. "So there's no way this girl could save herself?"

"Look, the only thing people are interested in at this point is what the hell is going on during these vacations of theirs. Unfortunately, I know that these girls are forced to sign non-disclosure agreements so that it could never happen unless they were interested in a lawsuit. So, no. She can't. That girl, whoever she is, unknowingly got a one-way ticket straight into the ground. And I'm fairly sure _nobody_ is going to help her get back up."

**DUN DUN DUN. Hehehe so _there's_ a development. I'm really sorry if this chapter dragged on for so long, but I had some key events I wanted to happen in this chapter and all of this crazy came out of it. What do we think about the newest plot twist? Any theories of what's gonna happen now? What about all of the new information we've learned about Elena and Damon? I love giving my characters some background. I hope you guys don't despise Damon as much now, knowing some of his history. We're definitely going to delve even more into that as the story goes on. I also realize Damon probably didn't seem too drunk during his interview, but that's only because of the "stage" of drunk he was in. There are plenty of interviews left and plenty of other stages to come. ;) Also for those of you who want bad Damon back, he will be making an appearance, don't fret. But there's still good Damon underneath all of those layers and you can't hold him down for much longer. Final question: who likes Klaus now that we've seen a bit more of him? I got a ton of good reviews on Caroline so I thought you all might like to witness the male version of her :)**

**Okay I'm seriously apologetic for those of you that had to wait so long. I created a new blog this week called vampingitup which is focused on all of the fashion and clothes worn by both the characters of the show and the actors. So if you're not sick of me after reading this, you can go check out that Tumblr and also my personal one: ninadobsession where I post stuff about this fic occasionally.**

**I love love love you all and keep those reviews a'coming. See you next Sunday!**


	8. Chapter 8: Dead Sea

**I feel like I start off every chapter with a sincere apology but I definitely have to do it again this time. I'm late. I know and I'm sorry. I really had every intention of uploading it yesterday, but a ton of things prevented me from posting it on time. Number one being that I received the worst full body sunburn of my entire life on Wednesday, the type of sunburn that confined me to my bed for three days. I was on so many drugs to get over the pain that I just did not feel in the mood to write. Number two being the fact that this chapter was incredibly difficult to write. It provoked a lot of emotions and angst so writing was definitely a challenge for this particular one. As of nine o'clock last night I had a horrendously awful chapter that I could have posted, but in all seriousness, it wouldn't have even been worth your time to read. I decided the best action was to just wait to post it today after I'd given the amount of time it deserved. So here it is. It's long and it's angsty and it's full of more drama than you can shake a stick at. I hope it's worth it. I also hope you enjoy it. If you don't, just remember I've been in agonizing pain for about three days and now I look super gross thanks to peeling :P Just kidding. Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to reviews so keep it up.**

**Now, on with the chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Dead Sea

_I headed West, I was a man on the move_  
_New York had lied to me, I needed the truth_  
_Oh, I need somebody, needed someone I could trust_  
_I don't gamble, but if I did I would bet on us_**  
**

Elena sat on the back patio of the house, her cat eye sunglasses perched on top of her nose without a purpose given the overcast sky. She stared straight ahead, letting the cool breeze move the stack of papers in her lap slightly. Her mind had been on overdrive for the past few days, every thought going to the gut wrenching news she'd received almost a week ago.

Elena leaned her head back against the chaise, a bit harshly as though punishing herself for accepting this job. Nothing was ever without strings. She should have known. She'd been too happy, too at ease in her job. Elena Gilbert wasn't lucky and she surely didn't get nice things. No, Elena Gilbert just got majorly screwed over. Hell, at least she got cushy accommodations on her journey towards epic failure.

She'd woken up in a cold sweat three different times since that morning. Each time, she'd dreamt she was on a train, buckled in with over fifty complicated seat belts, trapped as she rushed towards a fiery grave. Worst of all, she was able to call multiple people, yet each time, she couldn't speak. These nights, though, were the good ones. Most of the time, it took her hours to sleep, given that each time her head hit the pillow, every word of Elizabeth Posey's interview played over and over again in her head.

Immediately after the segment had finished, Elena had paused her TV and yanked out her laptop. A quick Google of "the Original girl" brought up countless articles and blog postings, each giving their own opinion on Ms. Posey's statements. Some were kind, expressing how much they enjoyed the previous books and expressing sympathy towards the Originals, but they were typically just fan girls of the directors, clearly biased in their outlooks. But the rest were equally as harsh as the book critics, some even far crueler. Apparently, a lot of people hated the Original girls from the beginning, yet went along with the hype for no apparent reason. They trashed each of the books, slut shamed the other Original girls, even posting old personal pictures of Caroline or Anna in not-so-modest clothing.

Elena had to close her computer after finding articles about herself, even a blog dedicated to guessing exactly who she was. Most of the theories hinged on the fact that she was a prostitute previously, and that Damon had only hired her because she'd threatened to out his escapades with her. Elena had never experienced such blatant hatred in her life and failed at fighting back the tears. In fact, when Stefan had knocked at her door a few minutes later, reminding her that she was late for brunch, Elena had to take another ten minutes just trying to fix her eye makeup.

She presumed that if there was this much backlash against the Originals in the news, the others would have to be aware of it. But it was never mentioned. The girls seemed as carefree and vivacious as ever, while the boys were still off being boys. She even woke up early Sunday morning to eat breakfast near Klaus, watching his expression warily to see if he made any sort of reaction during his newspaper reading. He barely flinched the entire meal and treated Elena just as he typically would soon after. She wondered just how disconnected they stayed during their vacations. Elena rarely saw the group on their phones or laptops, so maybe they hadn't heard. Elena was relieved to hear that. Trying to deal with the fact that she was going to become a laughing stock in the publishing world was bad enough, let alone putting up with the guilty faces of the other Originals for the rest of the year.

While Elena wasn't being paranoid over the concept of the Originals finding out, she was desperately trying to come up with ideas for the autobiography. Sure she was a good writer, but right now, she wasn't even sure if people would pick up the book and give her a chance. She had to come up with something new, something profound that would get readers to buy it regardless of whatever that bitchy critic had said. But it was no use. Elena could only write the same way she'd been before, recounting details of Damon's life chronologically. She knew that no amount of hard work or dedication would earn her success. Your reputation was all you had as an author and right now her reputation was horrifically tarnished.

The hardest part for Elena had been her attempts to hide just how devastated she really was. She'd faked so many smiles in the past week that she wasn't quite sure what a real one even felt like. Pretending that the other girls weren't being called every version of the word "whore" in the media was increasingly difficult. When Damon had stopped by her room to give her the timeline he'd created, she'd barely been able to control herself from ripping the paper in half and telling him it was useless. She knew the conversation would need to be had soon. She owed it to Damon to let him know that his book would be an epic failure. Maybe he would scrap all of the plans, giving her an opportunity to get out scot free and for him to not produce a poorly-received autobiography. But the fear of actually admitting out loud what had gone wrong was still too much to handle. Besides, Damon's reputation wouldn't be nearly as spoiled as her own. As long as she produced a good secret, the media would latch onto it, and _he_ would still be glorified. So instead, she'd spent her time moping and overanalyzing.

As another thick wind came barreling through the yard, Elena crossed her arms over her chest, thankful she'd chosen a loose-fitting open weave sweater. She crossed her legs, her upper thighs wrapped in faux leather shorts, sifting through the papers in her lap once again. They were notes, ideas she'd been brainstorming for the past few hours. The weather had been fine once she'd come outside, but it had grown increasingly cloudy and cold as time had passed. She spent another few minutes re-reading the pages over and over again, hoping something in her brain would spark so that she could come up with a new idea, but nothing. Nothing seemed to be saving her from this mess and she was worried nothing would. Nevertheless, she pulled out a notebook from the decorated woven tote bag she'd brought out with her and tapped her pen against it in a nonsensical rhythm, her nerves inhibiting any good ideas.

"I knew it!" Elena practically fell out of the chaise lounge, her heart stopping at the sound of the shrill squeal. She whipped her head in the direction she'd heard it and was confronted with a teetering Caroline, wobbling in her tall heels, holding a margarita in a free hand. "I knew you would go totally clinically depressed on us."

Elena rapidly shoved her notebook and papers into the bag, wanting to avoid any questions given that her scribbled notes looked akin to a serial killer's. "Wh-what?" she stuttered.

Caroline plopped down next to Elena's legs on the chaise. "This whole no party and no drinking thing is slowly tearing you apart inside. I totally knew you were going to just lose your mind and go all emo one day, staring off into the horizon, desperate for some vodka." Caroline giggled. She was clearly drunk.

"I'm fine, Caroline. Really." Caroline gave her a pointed, disbelieving look so Elena tried again. "Seriously, just in a mood. Nothing fancy."

"I don't believe it," Caroline chirped, sucking down some more of her drink through the bright green straw that had been plopped inside. "I think you are so desperately craving some alcohol that your body has turned against you." Caroline shifted more towards Elena with a sly smirk on her face. "So… I decided to play Mother Theresa." The blonde lifted her hand out towards Elena and presented the large glass as though it were a gift from God.

"Go ahead!" Caroline squealed when Elena didn't immediately grab at it. "I promise I won't tell anyone, especially not Big Bad Damon."

"Oh, no thank you, Caroline." Honestly, Elena hadn't even noticed the fact that she couldn't drink. It helped that her mind was incredibly preoccupied at the moment, but it wasn't like her body had been desperately craving shots. "I'm fine."

"I'm not leaving until you drink some," Caroline replied in a sing-songy tone. "Come on, just a sip. Or the whole thing. I can fake it." She waggled her eyebrows and shoved the drink further towards Elena's face, her nose bombarded with the smell of fruity liquor. "It's not like you'll get wasted or anything."

"I'm serious, Caroline. I don't want any."

"I'm not a narc, Elena! Just drink the damn thing."

"No!" Elena shouted, the frustration that had been building the past few days finally releasing itself. Caroline's hand slowly pulled back, disappointment and rejection marring her beautiful features. "I'm not drinking it!"

Caroline warily put the straw back into her own mouth and haughtily snapped, "Well, you obviously _need_ it."

Elena felt bad for being so harsh with Caroline but decided she wasn't really in the mood to apologize. Instead, she chose to change the subject. "Is there a party going on upstairs or something?"

"Nope." Caroline had an emotional rebound rate of about five seconds. "But there is one tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow? Clubs? Block party?"

"Better. A good old fashioned barbeque," she grinned. "Bring some America into this Podunk little town."

Elena snorted at Caroline's definition of Podunk but decided to go along with it. "Is it just you all or..."

"Nah. We've made some friends downtown at the clubs so they'll be hanging out here. They're awesome and totally chill with the whole 'celebrity thing.'" Caroline played with the straw in her drink then turned to Elena with a pout on her lips. "I really wish you could meet them. There's a guy I would love to set you up with."

Elena gulped, her hand nervously going to play with the braid on her left shoulder. "Well, believe me. Hooking up with some random guy is the last thing on my mind right now."

Caroline's eyes sparkled mischievously as though she knew something Elena didn't. "Yeah, I guess you're right," she replied with a smirk. Abruptly, she stood up and pivoted to leave, but addressed Elena first. "Well, I hope you make an accidental pit stop, even if it is just to grab your dinner."

Elena grimaced, realizing that if she was planning on eating, she _would_ most likely have to make an appearance. "Um, yeah. I probably will." She made a mental note to avoid Damon as much as possible.

"Good!" Caroline made the motion to clap, but realized she was unable to, given that one hand was occupied with holding the margarita. "And remember, you can always let me know if you need me to sneak up a beer." With a wink, Caroline clumsily made her way back up to the house.

* * *

Elena examined herself in the full-length mirror on her door, smoothing out her stick straight hair and applying some clear lip gloss to accompany her smoky eye makeup. She'd chosen a flouncy orange top and athletic-inspired bold print shorts with a pair of woven wedge sandals. As she slid on some gold jewelry, she wondered if she was taking it too far for an appearance that would probably only last about ten seconds. But then again, coming down in sweatpants wasn't very profession and besides, if there was a guy there that Caroline wanted to set her up with, it would be fun to show him what he would be missing. Elena giggled at her ridiculousness and headed down the stairs.

Everyone was outside on the patio, drinking beers and laying around on lounge chairs around the pool. Elena was surprised at the amount of people, given that Caroline had seemed intent on the fact that it would be a smaller gathering. Apparently, she'd made more friends than Elena had presumed. Nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Elena made her way towards the people she recognized.

"Elena!" Klaus shouted from his position on the chaise, Caroline draped across him and Lexi seated in the chair next to the two holding a glass tumbler. "So glad you could make it to our little soiree."

"_And _you look super cute," Caroline interjected.

"Um, thanks. Where's the food?" Elena was on a mission to get out of the party before Damon spotted her.

"Relax, Elena," Lexi exclaimed. "Damon's still getting ready. He hasn't made an appearance yet. You're safe for now."

Elena rolled her eyes, internally laughing at the fact that Damon would take longer than she did to get ready. Lexi interrupted her thoughts. "But if you're super paranoid, the burgers and stuff are all over on the other side." Elena followed Lexi's finger, pointed farther back towards the house, where she could make out a professional catering company grilling like crazy, a few people gathered around the station. Elena questioned for a moment whether she should take Lexi and Caroline's advice and hang out for a bit, but decided against it. She and Damon were on good terms at the moment, regardless of the fact that their relationship would surely be tested in the future when she gave him the bad news. Besides, she was pretty wiped out anyways. Hanging out with a bunch of drunken people, again, didn't exactly sound like a good time anyway. As Elena made her way to the food area and selected items for her dinner plate, she contemplated distracting herself with some cheesy movies on Netflix to get her mind off of the fact that her career was basically over. Ryan Gosling could cure anything, right?

But as she headed back into the house with her food, she cursed under her breath, stopping in her tracks. Damon. Alcohol. Interview. She'd completely blanked that he'd more than likely be expecting to do an interview later that evening. But she didn't want to presume anything. Elena cursed again realizing she'd need to stay up incredibly late just in case he decided to make an appearance. She groaned. There went her plans to fall into a rom-com induced coma for the night. She decided to go upstairs to eat, annoyed by the blasting music. Plopping down into her chair and biting into a sweet potato fry, she grabbed her nearby notebook and started flipping through her questions, trying to decide what she should ask him tonight. But she was quickly growing more tired and she was worried he might never show up, given that there weren't any plans set in stone. Elena decided her best choice was to find Damon before he went down to the party and clarify whether or not he wanted to do an interview in the first place.

Elena opened her door again and began heading down the hall in the direction of Damon's room. A song she'd always found particularly obnoxious was blasting its dub step beat outside, but the sound was so violently loud that she had to cover her ears even though she was inside and upstairs. When she reached Damon's room, she knocked on the door, but there was no response. Obviously, the soundproofing of the rooms had its downsides.

"Damon!" she yelled louder, banging on the door again, but to no avail. There was no indication he was inside. _Shit, _she thought. He's probably already downstairs and downed two beers by this point. She was stupid to think otherwise. She wondered if going downstairs and asking him was the best idea, but determined that she always had the "for work" excuse. Elena smirked, wondering if she could join in on some of the other parties for that same line of reasoning.

She decided to double-check his room, given that even if he was inside he probably wouldn't hear her with the sound. Plus, her curiosity was definitely heightened when it came to sneaking a peek at what his room looked like. Clean or messy? Sparse or overcrowded? She pushed open the door, finding it unlocked, and swung it wide open only to find the one thing she hadn't been expecting to see… or the two.

Elena was staring at Damon and a blonde; make that, Damon on top of a blonde. Elena squealed, desperately trying to yank the door closed before she saw anything else. Her fumbling hands only garnered her more attention, a look of embarrassment from the girl and a look of complete befuddlement from Damon. Finally, Elena was able to grasp the door handle, yelp how terribly sorry she was, and then slam the door shut behind her, racing back to her own room.

Shutting her own door soundly behind her, Elena sat down on her bed, placing her head in her hands and tucking her knees to her chest, and desperately tried to fully comprehend the events of the past two minutes. She'd opened Damon's door since he hadn't answered, seen far too much flesh, put two and two together, and then acted like a tween girl. She remembered making some weird noise that was a combination of a shriek and a squeal and then missing the door handle about twenty times, her eyes not able to move from the sight on Damon's bed.

_Holy shit,_ Elena thought. _I just walked in on Damon fucking some girl._ Elena scratched that thought. _I just walked in on Damon naked. _And that's when the crazy hit.

Tears began forming in her eyes when she realized she was done. She was fired. She'd crossed a huge line, a line that had never been explicitly drawn but was sure as hell expected. Who the fuck walked into their boss' room without an invitation? Who the fuck went in their boss' room, period? She should have gone downstairs, realized he wasn't at the party and given up. Hell, if she'd gone down to the party, she would probably have been told, "by the way, Damon's having meaningless sex with some girl he met five seconds earlier. Don't go into his room." But no. Elena had to have some sick desire to see if he had a messy room and now she was going to get yelled at in probably all three of the languages Damon knew.

She knew rationally that being fired was probably the best thing for her. Hell, she'd spent all week panicking over the fact that she was headed for nowhere. She should be thrilled. Surely, she could spin this accident into a positive experience. But instead, her tears had turned into sobs and all she could feel was the flood of embarrassment and stupidity that came with walking in on someone having sex. Before she could dwell in her shame for much longer, she heard a knock on her door. _Of course, _she thought. _She _could hear that knock regardless of the music, but _he_ couldn't hear his own. She corrected herself, remembering that he had been a bit preoccupied at the time of her arrival.

She quickly tried to wipe away the tears and snot that had formed from her crying and weakly shouted out, "Come in"but cursed herself as her voice cracked at her words. She sniffled, watching him walk in, now dressed, but still looking like he'd rolled straight out of bed. His shirt had about three buttons undone and his hair was completely untamed. She mentally scolded herself when she realized that lust was actually fighting to take first place away from humiliation. But the second he started talking, the longing went away.

"Sorry, I just like to knock on doors to announce my arrival. Seems polite," he smirked.

"I did knock!" Elena yelped, but realized she sounded like a petulant ten year old. She lowered her tone so it wasn't as stressed. "Damon, I'm so sorry. I wanted to see if we were doing an interview and Lexi had told me you were up in your room getting dressed so I knocked but the music was so loud I assumed you didn't hear me so I was checking to see if you were in there and… I should have just left or knocked louder or something. You have every right to want to fire me. God, I'm such an-"

"Elena!" Damon chuckled, holding up his hands to interrupt her rambling. "It's fine. Seriously."

Elena's eyebrows crinkled. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. I could care less."

Elena was now swimming in confusion. "I just walked in on you in the most intimate thing you could possibly do and you could 'care less?'"

Damon's expression was sober for only a moment before he burst into hysterics. Elena blushed. "What?" she asked defensively. She was already embarrassed enough; she didn't need to be laughed at.

" 'One of the most intimate things I could possibly do?'" Damon cackled. "Elena, it's sex. We're not in Sunday school." Elena's face still must have looked completely shell shocked so he continued. "I was fucking some girl. You walked in. No big deal. Hell, I'm not even dating her."

Elena's mouth dropped open a bit, finally realizing exactly who she was dealing with. This was Damon Salvatore, shameless man whore. He'd probably strut around the house naked if he could. To him, sex was nothing. Purely technical, a way to get his rocks off. She hadn't been stupid for walking in. She'd been stupid for thinking it was such a big deal.

"So why exactly are you crying?" Damon asked with a smirk, sitting down next to her on the bed. She hadn't expected the gesture. It was sweet and seemingly very un-Damonlike. Of course, her brain was still on overdrive and she was incredibly aware of the fact that she was sitting next to a guy who had had sex only a few minutes earlier.

"I just…" Elena thought for a second and realized she wasn't really sure exactly why. "I don't know," she laughed. "Hormones, I guess."

"Now, see that's always a woman's excuse," Damon smirked.

Elena smiled. "Plus, I'm really, really tired."

"Well, good thing I won't keep you up with an interview tonight," Damon replied. Elena nodded in understanding. He obviously wasn't in the mood and she could definitely skip one.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Elena asked a question that had been picking at her. "I was away from the party for like five seconds. How in the world did you find a girl and convince her to sleep with you that quickly?"

Damon smirked. "Found her in the foyer when I was walking out." Elena's eyes bugged open and he grinned. "Calm down, I'd met her before downtown. We weren't _complete _strangers."

Another niggling thought hit Elena. "And you just left her in there to go talk to me?" Elena felt a warmness fill her. He'd left some ridiculously gorgeous girl just to make sure that Elena was okay.

"Well, we were done. I did my job, if you know what I mean." Damon's eyebrows waggled and Elena rolled her eyes, but still felt the blush rise in her cheeks. "But she had to get back down to her boyfriend anyways."

Elena's jaw dropped. She took a moment to fully register everything before continuing. "You're straight out of a frat movie, aren't you?"

"I live every man's dream, Elena." It was silent for a few more moments and Elena began to grow embarrassed again, realizing she'd thought Damon would actually leave some gorgeous girl just to make sure Elena was okay. _Stupid, stupid Elena._

"Did you really think I was going to fire you?" Damon asked incredulously.

"Um, just a little," Elena replied.

Damon laughed. "Don't try to get out of this job so easily. You still have a _long _amount of work ahead of you."

Elena felt it: the giant neon sign that read "opportunity" was blinking. Elena gulped. "Actually, Damon…"

"Now I am going to head back down to the party and you should probably get some sleep. I'll try not to be offended that you were reduced to tears at the sight of me naked." Obviously her voice had been far too quiet. Elena let out a small smile at his smirk and watched him walk out of her room, before falling back onto her bed once he'd closed the door. _Maybe next time._

Elena desperately wanted to just pass out, but decided she would check her email, in case she'd gotten any response from her parents or Bonnie. She grabbed the laptop off of the floor next to her bed and got snuggled into her pillows, flipping open the screen and typing in her password. But just as she was about to open her browser, a notification from Skype popped up. She was getting a call from a contact she didn't know. _That's odd, _she thought. A far more rational person would have just hit ignore, but Elena decided to follow her curiosity once again that night.

Clicking accept, a woman popped into view, looking to be about thirty or forty years of age and wearing sharp glasses. She had strawberry blonde hair and severe features, but her face held a welcoming smile. "Elena Gilbert," she greeted cheerfully. "Thank you for accepting my call!"

Elena bit her lip, feeling incredibly out of place and very, very confused. "I'm sorry. Who are you?"

"I apologize," she spoke formally. "My name is Victoria Greenwood. I'm a publisher with Craw Publishing in New York. I'd like to talk to you about an opportunity."

A feeling of unease began to settle over Elena. "How did you get my information?"

Ms. Greenwood softly chuckled. "I know many people and have many connections. You were very easy to determine and locate."

Elena gulped. She needed to get off this call and quickly. "Well, I'm very busy at the moment, so I apologize but unfortunately, I won't be able to do anything at the moment." Elena was moving her mouse to close out of the conversation but her next words stopped her.

"Very busy working on an automatic failure of a book?"

Elena took in a breath. "I'm sorry?"

"Look, don't play dumb. You and I both know that _you know _this book is headed straight into the ground. Nobody is going to be throwing you a welcome home party once you get back in the states. You're incredibly desperate for a way out." Victoria paused, looking directly at Elena. "What would you say if I could give you one?"

Elena's nerves got the best of her. Immediately, she slammed her laptop shut and threw it across her bed, as though tossing it would get her as far away from the woman as possible. She took a deep breath, rushing her hands through her hair.

Her mind was going a million miles a minute. _How the hell did she get my information? How the hell did she identify an Original girl? And how the hell can she get me out of this train wreck of a job?_

Elena interrupted herself. Sleep. She needed to sleep. She'd had a crazy day complete with a naked Damon and she needed to go to sleep. She could deal with her overworked brain the next day. Elena grabbed two Tylenol PM from her nightstand and prayed she would pass out.

* * *

Elena wondered if she needed to be tested. Her psychotic brain had actually persevered over the Tylenol PM. It was absolutely insane. Sure, it had knocked her out for a few hours, but she'd actually woken back up around 2:24am and was now physically unable to fall back asleep. This was insane. Elena sat up in her bed and shifted so both of her feet were on the floor. She had to do something. The synapses in her brain were on high alert and she was more awake than ever.

She decided to go downstairs, find a book or a magazine, and try to read herself into a false sense of tranquility. Elena knew it was probably futile but she also knew that if she lay in that bed for one more second and had to see Damon's naked ass dance around her brain one more time she might explode.

She quietly made her way down the hallway, but stopped once she got to the stairs. _Shit, shit, and more shit. _They were still awake. She couldn't see them, but she could hear them. The fire was going in the fireplace in the large living room and they must have been standing or sitting around it. Elena's mind screamed at her to turn around, but she didn't want to face the dark confines of her room again. _What the hell? _Curiosity had already bitten her in the ass two times tonight. Why not make it a lucky three?

"You are one masochistic dumbass, Elena Gilbert," she muttered quietly to herself. As quietly as she possibly could, she crept to a position on the stairs where she could see them, but they wouldn't be able to see her. Sitting down on the step warily, her ears tuned into their conversation.

"God, I wish I could strangle those skank bitches," Lexi growled from her seat on the loveseat.

"I believe skank bitch was the term they used for you," Stefan replied dryly, sipping from the glass tumbler in his left hand, his right around Lexi's shoulders.

"I've never in my life seen backlash this horrendous," Klaus piped in, leaning against one of the bookcases. "I mean they've been like fucking attack dogs. What the hell happened?"

"Elizabeth Posey happened," Elijah murmured. He was seated in a leather chair, Katherine perched in his lap running her fingers through his hair slowly. "Always respected her."

"Ha!" Caroline scoffed bitterly. She'd been pacing back and forth across the room, stomping in her heels. "Respect is definitely not the word I think of when I think of her. I'm thinking more along the lines of heinous, perma-bitch-face asshole."

Elena's heart was stopped and she was fairly sure she'd forgotten how to breathe. _They knew._

Caroline stopped pacing for a moment to face the group, a worried expression across her face. "Do we think Elena knows?"

Elena was fairly sure her heart was going at negative beats per minute at this point.

"I don't think so," Stefan replied. "I mean, how would she?"

"There's a little thing called the internet, Stefan. You know the thing she has full access to while she's locked away in that room upstairs! I mean, what else could she be doing up there all fucking day long?"

Klaus chuckled. "Probably fucking."

Caroline whipped her head around. "What do you mean?"

Elena was now completely regretting her decision to stay, but it was like a car crash. She couldn't tear herself away. And where was Damon? _Hopefully not with that cheating whorebag,_ she thought. Alright, it was official. She'd lost her mind. She was acting like a jealous girlfriend.

"He _means_ that Elena and Damon always happen to be missing at the same time," Lexi smirked conspiratorially. "Hell, I heard him coming out of her room at like four am the other day."

"I'm sure they're just working _really _hard on that book," Katherine interjected sarcastically, causing the entire group to burst into hysterics.

"God, I totally knew something was up!" Caroline yelped, a huge grin on her face. "Yesterday, I tried to sneak her a drink and she totally flipped out! There's no way she'd follow all of those batshit crazy rules unless she was getting something in return."

"She might as well get something out of this arrangement now that it's all gone to shit," Stefan commented.

"I can't believe they succumbed to it so quickly," Lexi smiled, leaning back into Stefan's embrace. "I mean, I didn't necessarily think Elena would be too stubborn about it, but Damon… god, he's so fucking thick. Maybe they knew each other before."

That was fucking it. Elena couldn't take it anymore. The tears welled up in her eyes as she scrambled up and raced back to her door. Once she got to her room, she absolutely lost it. She collapsed on her bed and sobbed. She felt a rush of déjà vu, given that she'd been crying over the Damon incident only a few hours earlier, but this was much more different. This time it was a gut-wrenching cry caused by betrayal. And it hurt… bad.

This wasn't Wonderland or Oz or any other happy fairytale like place. No, this was hell. Sure it was dressed up nicely in the beginning, but the shiny veneer had faded and she saw it for what it was. The perks of the job had been ripped away. The kind and amiable people that lived in the house were judgmental monsters. And she was trapped. They fucking knew and there was no mention of letting Elena go or breaking the bad news to her. No, they were just planning on keeping her slutty self in the dark, assuming that as long as she got to fuck Damon she'd be fine. God, she felt sick and used. She was wondering if she should race back down the stairs and scream at them until her voice grew hoarse, but suddenly her position changed when it came to fight or flight. Elena sniffled, wiping away some stray tears with her arm and slid her way back up the bed, grabbing her laptop along with it. She opened her Skype window back up, located the most recent contact, and typed a quick IM.

_You know a way out?_

Elena stared at the message after she sent it for a few moments, her brain still trying to comprehend what she'd just done. Although it wasn't some sort of life-altering decision she'd made, she felt like typing those five words had shifted her universe in a way she wasn't quite able to describe yet. She was about to close her computer, not expecting a response when a ding indicated a reply.

_Most definitely._

Elena recalled the fact that although it was already three here, it was only nine at night there. Elena took a deep breath and then responded.

_What is it?_

The next message took a little bit to come back and Elena felt herself chewing on her cuticles in anticipation. What could Victoria possibly know to get her out of this? Before Elena would have ignored this woman's attempts, but after what she'd just heard, she felt like she'd do anything to escape.

_Patience, darling. This will need to be explained in person. I can be in town starting Saturday. Can you meet me?_

Elena paused. Her day off was on Sunday. If she could be dropped off downtown to run some errands, she could easily meet up with Victoria. Elena felt a bit uneasy that this woman seemed to know everything about her and the situation, but she hit the send button anyway on her answer.

_Yes._

* * *

Elena stood in front of her full length mirror, once again exhausted after a long day. She'd spent her Wednesday sleeping in, given that after agreeing to meet with Victoria it had taken two more pills and another hour to fall asleep. She was grateful no one had come to visit her and made sure to sneak food from the kitchen when she knew the other Originals were either outside or out of the house. She knew she'd obviously have to confront them at some point, but she was far too stressed to deal with them this particular day. Besides, she still wasn't sure how to greet them without first screaming "Damon and I aren't sleeping together!" at the top of her lungs.

She was up late once again, trying to distract her ever-frenzied mind with the simple yet sidetracking act of deciding what to wear for her meeting with Victoria. She'd tried on about six different outfits so far, all of them fine, but she'd found something critically wrong with each so she'd tossed them aside. She knew that day of she'd probably wouldn't give a shit what she was wearing, too desperate to know if there was a Plan B, but for now, it was fun.

Her seventh outfit was a bit more professional than the others but also a bit wild. She wore green floral skinnies paired with a white shirt and a black blazer to tone it down a bit. She spun a bit in her black peep-toe wedges and checked to see how the ensemble looked from behind. She actually really liked the outfit, so she continued to stare, waiting for whatever flaw would surely appear to pop out and let her know how much her fashion sense sucked.

But her reflection was abruptly taken away from her when the door swung open. She gasped, her heart beating incredibly fast in shock. Standing on the other side was Damon, who looked absolutely one-hundred percent wrecked.

"Damon. You scared me," Elena took a deep breath, lowering her hands back down from her chest.

"Did I interrupt something?" Damon smirked, waggling his eyebrows. Elena now noticed the large bottle filled with brown liquid dangling from his right hand.

"Um, no." Elena faltered, watching as Damon strutted past her into the room and started looking around. "I'm sorry. Are you here for an interview or something?"

He spun on his heel, grinning sloppily. "Why yes indeed. But this time, I'm interviewing you." He lifted up a wobbly finger in her direction, and then lifted the bottle to his lips to take another swig. Elena was starting to grow nervous. She hadn't ever seen Damon this stereotypically drunk before. Sure, when he'd been obscenely angry with her over coming to the party, it was caused by his drunken temper. But when she'd last interviewed him, the alcohol had provided a calming effect and despite a few slurred words and some stumbling, he'd seemed perfectly normal. But this… this was a whole new level of drunk for Damon, one she was sure she hadn't witnessed before.

"Did you go out tonight, Damon?" She changed the subject, trying to figure out exactly what she was dealing with.

"So smart, Ms. Gilbert. I'm sorry I don't have a prize." Elena rolled her eyes at his sarcasm, her frustration already beginning to grow. She watched as he plopped down on her bed and raised his arms in gesture. "Now come on. I want to know about you."

"Damon, you're paying me to learn about you. You're not supposed to waste time interviewing me."

"The opportune point there being that I'm paying you, therefore when I say I want to interview you, you sit down and you answer some questions."

Elena sighed and bit her lip. _He wasn't in the room with the other Originals,_ Elena reminded herself. _He's on your side in this. They were judging him just as much as they were judging you. He's not the enemy._ "Fine, Damon. Shoot." She crossed her arms over her chest and stood in her place, hoping he would pass out or grow bored of the questioning before too long.

"Alright, what is your zodiac sign?"

She almost had to hold back a laugh. "Scorpio," she replied quickly.

He wore a full on grin at her response. "Otherwise known as the most sexual of the signs."

Elena rolled her eyes again. "Okay, next?"

Damon's grin was starting to morph into something that looked more evil than innocent. "What color underwear are you wearing right now?"

"Damon, no." Elena's tone was firm. "The color of my underwear has nothing to do with who I am as a person."

"Come on, Elena. Thrill a guy. Enlighten me. It's just a question."

Elena wasn't sure what compelled her to feel comfortable enough to answer it, but she would later blame it on lack of sleep. Exhaling a breath, she replied, "Dark blue."

"Thank you, Elena," Damon smirked without a moment's hesitation. He took another swig of his bottle without shifting his gaze from her. "Now, give me four turn-ons."

That was it. She was done. This had quickly turned into some pervy form of 20 questions and she had no desire to play along any longer. "Get up," she motioned to Damon.

"What? Why?"

"Because I'm your employee, not some random girl at a bar. You shouldn't be asking me these types of questions. It's sexual harassment." She walked towards him and yanked him up from the bed, surprised he didn't try to fight her.

"Now I told you about sexual harassment. I can't cross lines if I don't have them."

Elena huffed a bit now that she was pulling dead weight towards the door. "Yeah? Well, I do." She yanked her door open and made a motion to shove him out but he wouldn't budge. "Now get out."

"Fine, fine. What about turn-offs? I bet you don't have many." He winked.

Now she was pissed. "Damon," she whispered angrily, now hyperaware of the fact that Lexi had heard him coming out of her room the week before. "Get the fuck out of the room before I scream."

Before she could blink, the door she'd been holding was slammed shut and Damon's body was only inches from hers. His right arm held the door shut with a force she knew she'd never be able to compete with. His gaze was burning into her so deeply she could feel her palms sweat and her throat dry out. "Elena, when was the last time you got laid?"

She had to fight to function like a normal person at this point. "I beg your pardon?"

"When was the last time you had sex, Elena?"

"Damon-" she warned.

"A month? Five months? A year? Come on, Elena. When was the last time?" His tone was fierce and his words were insistent. Her stomach began to tighten and she gulped, hoping to help her now painfully tight throat.

"You're being rude, Damon."

"Answer the damn question, Elena."

"I'm not answering that!"

"Why not?"

"Because," she stuttered. "Because it's too personal!"

"Bullshit!" He shouted.

"What do you mean bullshit?"

"You're not not answering because it's too personal!"

"I-," Elena was now really faltering. "I don't remember!"

"Now you're just lying," he growled.

"Excuse me? I'm not lying, Damon!"

"Yes, you are," he spat back. "You're lying because you're a virgin!"

Elena halted. The silence in the room was deafening. His words went through her like a knife as her whole body tensed. She wasn't sure if it hurt worse because it was the truth or because the way he said it made the word sound like an insult.

She attempted to continue her harsh glare but knew her previous intensity had dwindled down significantly. She wanted to deny it, continue to scream at him until both of their faces turned blue, but it was no use. The second the words had come out, the atmosphere of the room had declared him the winner. They were both breathing heavily, still standing less than a foot away from the other, a distance her body was far too aware of.

"So what?" Elena finally spit out, annoyingly weaker than she'd intended to sound. "Why does that make a difference?"

Damon growled, running his hand up his face and through his hair. "I should have known with the way you acted yesterday. You cared too damn much about walking in on me. Your face was far too red to have actually…" he mumbled, as though the past few sentences had been just to himself. "Goddamnit.. and you're in deep, too." Suddenly his gaze grew darker and he whipped Elena around so that her back was facing him and she was crushed against his body. His arm was wrapped around her own, tightly drawn across her stomach and his hot breath was over her left shoulder. She mewled, a sound she wasn't quite sure she'd ever made before. She was unaware at any given moment if the emotion she was experiencing was fear or lust.

"It matters, Elena," he bit out, his fingers now tracing circles over her stomach. "because that means you've never had a man touch you before." She felt his right hand go lower as his left gripped her waist, the bottle obviously now perched somewhere else. Her heartbeat was rampant and she tried to contain the panting breaths from before. She made the mewling sound again as she realize his hand wasn't going to her desired location, but rather her upper thigh where it made the same circles as before, but they were now much more firm.

"It means that no man has ever seen you fully undressed, fully bare." Elena bit her lip, realizing that he felt just as out of control as she did right at this moment. "That no man has ever put his mouth on you." His breath was just as stilted as her own and she felt a strong urge to rub into the hardness that was now pressed into her lower back. "God, you've probably never even come." Elena whimpered feeling his left hand move up closer towards her chest and his right hand move closer toward where she wanted it most desperately. "Nobody's ever made you come so hard that you couldn't see straight."

"It matters, Elena," he continued. "… because that makes you all the more tempting."

Elena squinted her eyes shut, trying to fight off the onslaught of emotions that were heading towards her at full force. Every word he was saying was true, but it didn't mean she didn't want it dreadfully. Hell, only a few shreds of her dignity were preventing her from whipping around and smashing her lips into his own. Her hammering heartbeat pounded in her ears but she was almost positive that she heard him murmur, "I would be your first."

But apparently nature had grown jealous of the electricity that had formed in the room and let out a booming clap of thunder followed quickly by a sharp burst of lightening that caused the sexual tension in the room to all but disappear. Suddenly, Damon's grasp on her felt heavy instead of strong and the tenseness of his body was no longer from desire but from anger. Elena felt his hands slide off of her and heard him find the glass bottle he'd placed on her dresser. She expected the liquid slosh that followed his gulp, but his next words were the last things she thought she'd hear.

"Or you're just a whore who won't put out for me."

Elena's body reacted before her brain fully could. She whipped around and slapped him straight across the face. It was a weak slap, one she would typically have taken the time to be embarrassed over, but the pure fury running through her veins prevented her from feeling anything else. He barely flinched at her hit.

"Fuck you!" she growled, her voice as threatening as she'd ever made it.

"You're all talk, but no action. Is that because you don't know how or because you're just a tease?"

Elena felt the hot tears that were now streaming down her face. She hated that she was showing him her weakness and was desperate to get him out. He'd officially joined the ranks of the other monsters. God, he was even worse.

"Get the fuck out of my room, Damon!" She yelled, not even caring if half the house heard her.

He stared at her for a moment, an expression crossing his eyes that she wasn't able to identify through her own blurry ones. "Fine," he replied coolly, firmly grasping the bottle and closing the door behind him without a second glance back.

As Elena slid to the floor, sobs wrenching out of her, she knew what she needed to do. She needed to run. She needed to run as fast as she could.

**So I'm a bit nervous about this chapter. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm terrified. There were a lot of developments in this chapter that could be incredibly polarizing. All I ask is that you remember that nothing can be sunshine and rainbows for too long. I love these characters and each has a reason for their actions, regardless if it seems completely irrational and unexpected. I do desperately want to hear your opinions and since I respond to reviews (if you have an account) I'd love to be your sounding board when it comes to how you feel about this chapter. I love me some angst and I hope you'll stick with me.**

**Again, I apologize for the delay in posting, but I just wanted to make a chapter as pivotal as this be as good as it possibly could be. I hope you have a great week and I will see you all next Sunday (I promise!) Know how thankful I am for each and every one of you.**

**love love love :)**


	9. Chapter 9: Pretty Face

**Oh my gracious, I can't believe I actually got this up on Sunday. I woke up this morning basically convinced it wasn't going to happen, given that I was going to be out of the house for almost seven hours, but I got it done. With this chapter comes two things I need to address, one good and one bad so stick with me for a bit.**

**Bad first: I'm considering not finishing this fic. Right now, I have a lot of personal things going on in my life and I'm slowly becoming convinced that writing this story isn't helping me. I know I've stated a thousand times over that I write this for you all (which is true), but I'm also aware that doing so could end up just hurting me in the long run. I know that I have to do what's best for me so I'm going to have to consider stopping. I know that this probably pisses you off and I hate that I'm continuing to be a disappointment as a writer, but it is something I'm going to consider. I wouldn't run away screaming from this fic quite yet, but just be aware that it's going on.**

**Alright now good: OH MY GOSH YOUR REVIEWS FOR LAST CHAPTER WERE AMAZING. There were at least fifty of you who commented on the last chapter and not only did they make me bust out laughing about a hundred times but they were also very sweet as well. In fact, I made a post on my Tumblr with some of the highlights so you can check that out if you so desire. I know the last chapter was crazy intense and insane so this one is going to be a bit of a breather. It's far more calm and it's going to indicate a major shift in the story. It is a bit shorter... actually, scratch that. It's _normal length_, but you guys have been getting way too spoiled with super long chapters these past few updates so you're just going to have to suck it up and deal. :) The flow of the story requires some long chapters and some short chapters so don't hate me. A long chapter will arrive soon enough.**

**Okay this is the point where I shut up and just let you read.**

* * *

Chapter 9: Pretty Face

_I thought I touched them but I can't feel the pain in __your dream_  
_They want to take me but I will hide from them _  
_Tonight I take your life and throw it far away _  
_I use my pretty face to find my way to him_

When Damon woke up, it took him a moment to remember exactly where he was. He was definitely not at home, the room not holding the same pristine coldness as the ones at his own house. It was difficult to let this new location sink in, given that his head was already far too clogged with the haze of a hangover. He groaned loudly, as if warning the space between the four walls he was not to be messed with. No furniture should dare stub his toe and god forbid the floor be too icy cold.

After involuntarily falling straight into his nightstand when he stood up too quickly, he mentally determined that this hangover would rank in the top five worst of his life. He could barely see straight and the pain made him want to cry like a toddler. He shuffled to his en suite bathroom, haphazardly shoving things aside until he could find the bottle that held the relief for his pain. There was no way in hell he was turning on the light. Damon dry-swallowed four, knowing that it was well above the serving limit and not caring. If he was going to feel like death, he might as well go ahead and risk its sweet release.

Stumbling back into his room, he knew the next step of making the "ouch" go away was getting some coffee. Unfortunately, after checking the time, he knew that almost everyone in the house would be awake, and therefore downstairs. It took him all of three seconds to determine his priority was coffee, not isolation.

Once he came down the stairs, he was happily surprised to see only two of his fellow housemates awaiting him. Katherine, sipping on her own mug, was sitting at the breakfast table flipping through a catalog and Klaus was doing something with a pan that involved eggs. Damon didn't dare deign to refer to it as actual cooking, given that anytime Klaus was near _his _kitchen, it caused a fierce amount of possessiveness to run through his veins.

As Damon walked past the two to make a beeline for the coffee pot, he waited for the typical digs on his disheveled appearance or even a sly comment on his drunken antics but neither said a word. In fact, both were eerily silent as though ignoring his very presence. He took a large gulp out of his mug, still waiting for the ball to drop, but became quickly frustrated with their silent treatment.

"Morning," he said fairly roughly.

Both Klaus and Katherine glanced up, eyeing him warily and then giving each other a look. Klaus returned to his pan and Katherine to her catalog. "Note how he left out the word 'good' there," Katherine remarked snarkily.

Damon's eyebrow shot up. "Yeah, well it was a bit of a rough night for me," he snapped back.

"That is brand new information!" Klaus replied in a sarcastic manner as Katherine chuckled from her seat. Damon recognized the line from a Friends rerun he'd watched months ago.

"Alright, alright. What'd I do this time?" Damon asked with a cheeky grin, plopping down at a barstool. He couldn't wait to hear what ridiculousness his drunk self had gotten up to. Hell, maybe he'd crossed some items of his bucket list.

But the look shared between Klaus and Katherine didn't make him think that he'd broken a world record or downed a whole keg. No, that look meant he'd done something very, very bad. "Did I kick a puppy or…?"

At that moment, Katherine sucked air through her teeth and made a pointed attempt to turn away from the conversation. Damon shifted his gaze towards Klaus who looked incredibly uncomfortable. "Is someone going to tell me?"

Klaus walked over to Damon slowly and then patted him on the shoulder. "You're in trouble, mate. Deep, deep trouble."

Before Damon could question him on exactly what he meant, Caroline burst into the kitchen, her temper raging. "You!" she roared coming at him with a fury he'd only seen on rare occasions. "You need to fix it!"

"Fix what?" Damon yelled right back. He was pissed now too, given the fact that his meds weren't kicking in as quickly as he wanted and Caroline's shrill tone was causing all sorts of pain.

"Whatever the hell you said to Elena last night because she won't even talk to me!"

And there it was. The memories of the previous evening hit him like a brick wall. Coming into her room randomly after his solo trip downtown. "Interviewing" her with all sorts of idiotic sexual questions. Confronting her with the theory that had been brewing in his mind all day. Oh yeah, and calling her a whore who wouldn't put out.

"Fuck," he groaned, putting his head in his hands.

"There's a word we heard a lot last night," Klaus chimed in.

Damon's head whipped up. "How much did you hear?" He was now terrified that the entire house had witnessed his extreme douchebaggery.

"Barely fucking anything, Damon," Caroline seethed. "But enough to know that you two were having some idiotic lovers' quarrel that made her hate everyone in this house!" Caroline was officially fuming, her fists gripped at her sides and her knuckles white.

Something made Damon pause. "Wait, why are _you_ pissed off?"

Caroline let out a large huff, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, I was trying to go up there and rectify the situation. You know girl stuff and the like. But she refused to open the door to me and then…" She paused for dramatic effect. "She told me to _fuck off_." Caroline's delivery made it seem like Elena had announced that she enjoyed shooting up infants in her spare time.

Luckily, Katherine was able to convey the snark Damon so desperately wanted to. "And God forbid someone tells Caroline Alexandria Forbes to fuck off," she chirped sarcastically.

"How about you _fuck off_, Katherine?" Caroline snapped.

Katherine slammed the catalogue back on the table. "Gladly." Damon watched as she sashayed out of the room, most likely to go upstairs and inform Elijah of the developing situation in the kitchen. He let out another groan, the full effects of how much he'd screwed up starting to bear down on him.

"Groan all you want, mister, but I want my friend back!"

Damon's head whipped back towards Caroline from its previous position of slamming against the counter. "Since when is Elena your friend?"

Caroline's lip curled in disgust. "_Everyone's_ my friend, Damon."

"Do _they_ know that?" Damon snapped back.

"Enough!" Klaus shouted, interrupting the bickering pair. "Look, don't insult my girlfriend when you should be fixing whatever happened with yours."

Damon glared at Klaus in disbelief. "She's not my girlfriend!" he shouted and then, slamming his coffee mug on the counter, sloshing the hot liquid all over the marble, he stomped out of the room. The exit was a bit childish and dramatic for his tastes, but right now he felt like he was in a house full of children.

Once he got safely upstairs, he leaned against the wall of the hallway, rubbing his hands down his face in frustration. Every memory of the night before was hazy except for what had occurred in Elena's room. _That_ was crystal clear. Damon wasn't sure whether the clarity was a blessing or a curse.

Ever since Elena's freak-out over walking in on him and whatever her name was, the word sex and Elena suddenly kept correlating in his brain. Granted, those two words had crossed paths before in his mind. Hell, he was straight. But they'd never been as synonymous as they were now. He was suddenly vastly interested in her level of experience.

Obviously, she was one of those girls who used sex to express love rather than just for a good fuck. She'd been way too uptight about it to use sex casually. He'd spent the day lying out in the sun, trying to rest from the barbecue and all he could think about was the guys she'd slept with. Had she lost it to the high school sweetheart on prom night, just like all the movies required? Or had she waited until college, losing it to some jerk who probably didn't even remember her name the next day?

He'd chosen to go out that night when he realized he was getting upset over the idea of some guy treating Elena like crap. After taking out some of the building frustration on the punching bag downstairs, he'd booked it to a bar downtown. He'd been dancing with some girl and planning on going back to her place when it hit him: v_irgin_. Sure, it was a shaky theory, but for some reason, it clicked. And suddenly the girl grinding her hips against his was just that: a girl. Sure, she had huge tits and would probably have jumped him with no effort at all, but all he could think about was the girl back home who probably had no experience at all.

It was almost an out-of -body experience as he watched himself race down the hall and knock on her door that night. She'd opened it wearing the type of outfit someone would wear for an interview, but he'd never particularly understood women's fashion so he'd ignored it. He'd watched himself take swig after swig out of that damn bottle before berating Elena with questions, questions he would have asked any other girl. But not Elena. He would never do that to Elena. But he did.

He quickly came back into his body when she'd been that close. God damn, she'd been so close to him. The attraction he'd felt towards Elena had been fairly moderate over the few weeks he'd been around her, but suddenly it was taking all of his energy not to crash his lips into hers and throw her onto her bed. A quick check had determined that she was just as gone as he was. The anger and frustration they both felt had riled them up to levels neither had ever experienced.

And then when he'd thrown it in her face... It had not been his most graceful moment, but she was lying to him. The minute he'd begun harassing her, he knew his theory was concrete. The guilt that had rushed through him when he'd stated it out loud and her face dropped wasn't enough to overpower the pure lust that had been running through his veins. So he'd turned her around, not able to look in those deep brown eyes anymore, not when they were filled with so much hurt. He'd turned her around and held her close to him, mostly because he was sure his body couldn't deal with lack of contact. He'd run his hands down her stomach and her leg, not thinking about the other people in the house or the expectations. All he could think about was that _he was holding Elena_. And the more he touched her, the more he realized how little she'd done, how pure she was. He'd nearly lost it when she'd whimpered against him. He watched as his hand moved closer and closer to the one spot that no man had ever claimed. Until the lightning hit.

He didn't know whether to detest the bolt of electricity or build a sacrificial altar for it. But at that moment, it had ripped away all of the desire from both participants. He'd gotten too close. He'd done exactly what every god damn person in the world had expected him to do. She may be Elena, but he had to see her as _just Elena_. Damon Salvatore didn't do vulnerable. So he'd snatched his hands away and did what he did best: take a drink and push people away.

He didn't regret the words when they'd come out of his mouth. He was already turned off and tuned out, just desperate to get as far away from her and whatever power she held over him as possible. The slap was a sloppy one, barely stinging as it hit its target at an awkward angle. He'd watched the tears form in her eyes and let more cruel words spill from his lips, knowing that _this is what he does_. He wasn't Damon Salvatore if he didn't hurt.

But now here he was, hating himself even more. His thought process seemed so warped now, so illogical. Was he correct in his self-assessment? Of course. He'd been called a worthless dick enough times to know it was an accurate label. He would always take his emotions out on others in a desperate attempt to relieve himself from an ounce of the hatred he placed upon himself. But it shouldn't have been Elena. Not the girl who'd done nothing but follow his asinine rules and put up with his constant bullshit. Not the girl who was working so hard to write this book. Definitely not pure, innocent Elena. Damon slammed his fist into the wall, knowing another trip to that punching bag in the basement would be a necessity.

* * *

Four days went by before he or anyone besides Bernadine saw Elena. According to Bernadine, Elena would wake up at six, prepare a breakfast and lunch that she would take up to her room, and then wouldn't come back down until everyone was asleep to grab dinner. Apparently Bernadine had offered to bring food up to Elena, but she'd declined, not wanting to burden Bernie with any extra work.

Damon had knocked on her door almost every day, but Elena refused to even acknowledge his presence. He knew she was in there, but every knock and plea to open the door was met with utter silence. He was smart enough to know that barging in would be a mistake, even though he was fairly sure the door was unlocked.

The rest of the house began to turn on Damon as well. Caroline was still royally pissed, which of course made Anna join in on the fun. Anna always wanted a reason to hate Damon and she'd cling to this one like the plague. Lexi and Katherine at least occasionally talked to him, but every conversation ended with some dig about whatever he'd said to Elena. The guys, of course, tried their best to appease their girlfriends, but were sympathetic towards Damon's plight as well. They'd all done something to alienate their significant other. Damon then had to remind the guys that Elena was _not_ his significant other, but his employee, but was typically met with doubtful glances. No one in the house knew the details of Damon and Elena's conversation, but they all had their theories.

On Sunday, Damon headed towards his daily door knocking ritual, but paused when he turned the corner to the small hall that lead to Elena's room. Her door was open. Damon gulped, not sure what his plan of action should be, but decided that maybe the open door was an invitation. He nervously straightened his shirt and walked towards the room, mentally repeating the script he'd been forming over the last few days.

The first thing he was met with was bare leg, make that two. Elena was bent down facing away from him, digging through a black woven tote bag, and Damon had to literally turn his gaze away from her and think of anything nonsexual. Damon had a list of outfits he loved to see on women and she was most definitely rocking one of them. Her ass, which was the only thing facing Damon at this point, was barely covered in a pair of frayed black denim shorts and her smaller upper half was concealed in an orange checked shirt. He cleared his throat, his soon-to-be rock hard dick now desperate for her to go back to a normal position.

Elena flipped her head and body back around, her long, straight hair falling down her shoulders. He mentally cursed again, noting the bright lip gloss she was wearing, another one of his weaknesses. Her eyes held surprise for a moment, but soon after turned into icy hatred. She crossed her arms over her chest as if daring him to speak.

"May I come in?" He voiced nervously.

"I'm just leaving, so…"

Damon's eyebrows crinkled in confusion and he began to grow nervous. "You're leaving?" She didn't respond, digging through her jewelry box on her dresser. "As in permanently?"

She stopped her motions, not looking up at him and the silence nearly killed him. After a few moments, she finally spoke up. "No. But it's my day off. I was going to go into town."

"Oh," Damon grimaced. The conversation was not going the way he wanted or expected it to. "Do you need a ride?"

"Nope," Elena shook her head. "Caroline's taking me."

"Alright." He wanted to slap himself or just bang his head really hard against the wall. He knew he needed to apologize, but the pure contempt coming from Elena's end was making him chicken out.

"Is that all? Because I really need to go," Elena murmured, grabbing the bag from the floor and placing it on her shoulder.

Damon took a deep breath, preparing himself for whatever onslaught of hate would be thrown his way once he started. "Actually, no. I came here to apologize to you."

Elena didn't even blink so he continued. "I should have never done or said the things I did on Wednesday night. I was drunk, but that's absolutely no excuse for my behavior. I feel terrible about it and I would take it back if I could. Not only did I act incredibly unprofessional towards my employee, but I acted like a dick to a friend. I'm really, really sorry for what I did. You have every right to hate me, but I just wanted you to know."

Damon waited with baited breath, wondering exactly how many ways she could say "fuck you," but the word she uttered next was completely unexpected.

"Okay."

Damon blinked, taken aback by her casual response. "Okay?"

"Okay," she replied back. Her facial expression was devoid of any emotion and she looked as though the conversation was over.

"You don't want to hit me again or anything?" Damon asked, trying to lighten the mood of the room and attempting to grasp exactly where they stood.

"Nope. I just want to go now, if that's alright by you," Elena nodded her head towards the door.

Damon was officially beyond confused as to what was going on in her head. "Oh, no. Of course." He stepped out of the way of the door frame and watched as she walked straight past him and down the hall. He had no clue what had just occurred in that room and even though he'd apologized, he felt worse than he had walking in there.

* * *

Elena almost kissed the ground when she was finally able to get out of the car. Caroline had spent the entire trip downtown babbling on and on about how much of a dick Damon was, desperately trying to get Elena to be her best friend again. Obviously, Elena was having none of it, but she added the occasional "mhm" so she didn't come off as a total bitch.

She felt like the entire morning had been spent holding her tongue. When Damon had walked into her room, she really hadn't expected it. She should have, given that he'd knocked on her door at least once a day since the incident in her room, but she'd assumed he would have given up by this point. She'd wanted dreadfully to tell him to get out, not at all interested in hearing his half-assed apology, but his nervous expression made her curious. She rarely saw Damon looking out of control or wary, and she craved it more than she realized.

She was also surprised by how sincere he'd actually seemed. She'd expected something along the lines of "Sorry you're a virgin" and a grunt or two, but instead he actually appeared as though he hated himself for his actions. It almost made her want to forgive him… almost. But she'd decided she was _never_ going to forgive him a few days earlier and just because he sounded sincere in his apology didn't mean she was going to change her plans.

All of her hope was riding on this one meeting. She had no clue what this coffee date with Victoria would entail, but she hoped it was her way out. Elena didn't think she could play pretend anymore. The job wasn't worth the money any longer. She just wanted to be back home and on the couch with Bonnie. She never thought she'd look back on the times where she was happy just to get an interview and consider it "the good ol' days."

So she'd held her tongue during her surprise visit with Damon. She'd held her tongue as Caroline talked a mile a minute in the car, even though all she wanted to do was confront her with what she'd said earlier that week. She held her tongue and just prayed that she would get her "out" today. She would do almost anything to no longer be in that house.

Elena had gotten Caroline to drop her off twenty minutes before she actually needed to be in town. Victoria would be meeting her at two in the coffee shop so Elena booked it into the restroom to change into her "meeting" outfit. She was paranoid that one of the Originals would find out about it so she'd worn crappy clothes just to get out of the house. Elena was fairly sure she'd break if they started questioning her on why she was so dressed up. Elena smoothed out the colorful, retro-inspired dress she'd neatly folded up into her bag. The brightly striped scoop neck dress had a fitted bodice and a pleated skirt that was cute but also formal enough so she could impress. She braided her unruly hair into a side braid and tucked the other strands back with a polka dot headband. She slipped out of the casual sandals to put on a pair of basic tan ones and then shoved the older clothes into the tote. Checking her reflection in the mirror, she hoped that Victoria would be pleased.

Elena went ahead and ordered her drink, choosing an outdoor table so they could sit in the nice weather, but was unable to even take a sip, the nerves getting to her. This was her only saving grace, and if it was something crazy or worthless… well, she was stuck. Stuck with Damon, stuck with the Originals. _And_ she'd be stuck with the title of this dead-end job for the rest of her career. She'd be the failed Original girl, pathetic in her endeavors to become rich and famous. The other girls who'd interviewed just so they could fuck Damon, they deserved that title. But not Elena. She'd worked so hard to get to where she was, but it wouldn't matter. She'd chosen poorly and she wouldn't be able to escape. Not unless this woman helped her.

"Elena Gilbert?" Elena's eyes shot up to the redhead in front of her and let out a sigh of relief. This was definitely the woman from the Skype chat. Elena stood up abruptly, reaching her hand out to shake Victoria's.

"I'm so glad you could meet me," Elena replied, unable to keep the eagerness out of her tone.

"Glad?" Obviously Victoria noticed it too as they both sat down. "You seemed pretty terrified of me earlier this week."

Elena chuckled politely. "Well, some things changed since we last spoke."

"I can tell," Victoria smiled warmly. A barista interrupted their conversation to place a small cup in front of Victoria and then swiftly walked away.

"So," Elena spoke quietly as Victoria took her first sip, wanting to cut to the chase. "You know a way out?"

"It's not a conspiracy, Elena," Victoria smiled. "You don't have to act so secretive about it. No one is listening in."

Elena blushed. "Yes, of course."

Victoria regarded Elena for a moment, as if deciding whether or not she actually wanted to do this. "I have a way out, so to speak. But it's probably not what you're expecting."

Elena gulped. "Okay."

This time, Victoria leaned in. "I'm giving you an opportunity to get rid of the stigma that's been unfairly placed on you. An opportunity so that you don't have to return home a laughing stock. In fact," she paused. "This opportunity will more than likely give you more wealth and fame than your original offer."

Elena regarded her with curiosity as Victoria smirked. She let it sink in and took another sip of her drink.

"And what would that be?"

Victoria sighed. "I'm assuming you recall the original interview with Ms. Posey."

How could Elena forget? Hell, she'd memorized every word. "Yes, of course."

"What did she say was the only way you could redeem yourself?"

Elena bit her lip and let out a bitter laugh. "To run."

Victoria scoffed. "I meant the other thing."

Elena cocked her head, looking at Victoria dubiously. "She said she was interested in a tell-all book, but…"

"But what, Elena?"

Elena paused. _What was Victoria getting at?_ "But I'm sworn to secrecy. I shouldn't even be having this conversation with you."

"How are you sworn to secrecy?" Victoria asked, as though everything Elena was saying was a cute joke.

"I signed a non-disclosure agreement."

Victoria nodded, again silent for a moment. "Did you bring the documents like I asked?"

Elena went to the bag next to her, lifting the heavy stack of papers and placing them on the table in front of her. Victoria didn't touch them, though, instead taking another drink from her cup. "Turn to page 34, section A."

Elena's eyebrows crinkled. _How did she…_ She determined it wasn't worth her time to question her and flipped to the area that she'd indicated. Victoria continued. "Read the section to yourself."

Elena was beginning to grow a bit frustrated but did as she asked. But as she read, her palms began to sweat and her eyes grew wide. There it was, staring in front of her… a loophole.

Victoria smirked. "I'm assuming you found it."

"How did you know about this?" Elena inquired, dumbfounded with the new discovery. She kept reading the lines over and over again. Whoever had written this had left a huge gap in the contract.

"I don't know how many times I can stress this to you, Elena. I know a lot of things. But if you want this option, you're going to have to stop asking questions and start doing."

Elena let out an uneasy breath, still shaken by what she'd read. "What exactly are you asking me to do?"

"Write everything. The entire world is sick and tired of the 'secrets' these Originals have. They want to know about the trips, the relationships, the sex, drugs, rock and roll. Sure, those little tidbits the guys have deigned to throw into their books are sweet and all, but _they're_ still in control. _They_ still hold the power over their audience. But now the audience wants the power. They want to know things the Originals don't want anybody else to know."

Elena gulped again. "So I'd be taking advantage of them?"

"Honey," Victoria added. "Right now, _they're_ taking advantage of _you_."

"How could I do this without them possibly knowing? I'm supposed to be writing a book for Damon. He'll want to see drafts, the work I've done."

"Oh, you'll need to write Damon's book if you want to keep away any suspicion."

Elena balked. "So I'm supposed to be writing _two_ books at the same time?"

Victoria gave her an irritated glance. "Elena, I never said this was going to be an _easy _way out. Just that it was one. You're going to have to pretend all is well in that house. That you have _no_ _clue_ that Damon's book is only going to make you crash and burn. You'll also need to gain the trust of all of the Originals, girls included. _That's_ how you're going to get the secrets you need."

Elena paused for a moment, watching the breeze flutter some leaves in a nearby tree. "Why are you telling me this? Couldn't I just as easily take this information and run with it, leaving you with nothing? How do you benefit?"

Victoria laughed loudly. "Oh, you can't be serious." Victoria gawked in disbelief at Elena's very serious expression. "Do you think a single publisher is going to give you the time of day when you come back to the States? I'm giving you a guaranteed publication deal. I know you're a little spoiled when it comes to that thanks to Mr. Salvatore, but you need to know that you should be kissing the ground I walk on just for talking to you."

Elena gulped, feeling like a scolded child. Victoria was right. Elena was being offered a deal that most normal people would be drooling over, yet all she could feel was wariness. It was a bit of déjà vu, given that she'd done the exact same thing with Damon just a month ago. Elena bit her lip, staring at her still-full cup. "Can I have some time to consider?"

Victoria was visibly frustrated. "Some t… Fine. You have 24 hours to get back to me." Victoria stood up abruptly. "This is a one-time thing, Elena. I'm sure you're aware that the next time you'll see an opportunity for a job, it will be far, far in the future. Unless of course, you were planning a career in the food service industry." With that last remark, Victoria walked away from Elena and didn't turn back.

* * *

The next day, Elena was lying in bed, again going over the pros and cons of Victoria's offer. She knew that it was her only way out since the rest of the Originals seemed content to watch her crash and burn. But she also had never done something so knowingly cruel in her life. When she'd come home from the meeting, she'd rushed upstairs and located her journal. She'd spent the night reading it cover to cover, all of the entries she'd written while she'd been at the house. It was _filled_ with details about the Originals lives. Nothing particularly juicy, but enough to get her started.

Elena would be ripping these people apart. She'd have to worm her way in, find out their dirtiest secrets, things that should only be spoken in confidence and never written down. And during that time, she'd be lying through her teeth every second of every day. She'd still have to write the autobiography for Damon, interact with him as though his words that night in her room hadn't killed her. She'd have to break bread with _all_ of the Originals, get them to trust her so much that the secrets would just come pouring out of their mouths.

She needed to call Victoria in less than two hours or the decision would be made for her. Right now, she had two choices staring her in the face. One was to become a complete and utter failure, staying in the house and writing Damon's book just for her name to be tarnished in every realm of the publishing world, a running joke that all reporters could have in their back pocket. And two was to receive vast fame and fortune by airing all of the Originals' dirty laundry out to dry. The decision was simple: be _selfish_ or _selfless_. But why be selfless to a group of people that seemed to care so little about her feelings?

A knock on her door interrupted her thought process. She quickly stood up from the bed, hurriedly putting the contract and papers she'd been reviewing back in her nightstand drawer. "Come in," she yelled. Even with her back to the door, she knew that it was Damon who had entered.

"Hey." Elena stayed with her gaze facing the wall, suddenly feeling exposed in her star print denim shorts and black and white graphic t-shirt. She didn't know why just one word from him caused her to feel so vulnerable, but it probably had to do with the fact that he had hurt her so badly a few nights ago. She grabbed her nearby army jacket, remembering that she'd forgone a bra with her shirt and knowing it probably wouldn't be smart to face Damon without one.

She could tell he was just as nervous as she was. Elena could hear his feet shuffling around as he stayed in the same spot, obviously trying to find the right words. "How are you doing?" he asked, his voice sounding weak.

This was it. This was truly where her deadline lay. She could whip around, ream Damon out for what he'd done, tell him how she truly felt about his insults… or she could sweep it under the rug. She could be the graceful, professional employee and put on a happy face, creating the perfect cover for what she'd spend the next five months doing.

Elena took a deep breath and instantly felt the weight of her choice settle in her mind. She pivoted around to face Damon.

"Perfect," she said with a smile. "How are you?"

**So I was wary about posting this chapter because 1) I ABHORRED my writing in this chapter (seriously, I almost threw my computer against a wall I was so frustrated with myself) and 2) I can tell you guys are probably going to have strong reactions to Elena's decision. I do want to continue to be your sounding board so please leave your reviews letting me know how you felt about this chapter and both Elena and Damon's actions.**

**With this big old shift is going to come a time jump. I realized a few days ago that we're still in the month of July for the timeline of this story and the story is supposed to be ending (on the timeline) in December. So note that next chapter will have a massive time jump so that you don't become utterly confused. We gotta move this story along people!**

**In other news, I now have a brand new document on my phone that is the outline for the rest of the story (terrifying I know). This isn't terribly important for you all to know, but I have planned out a good majority of the rest of this fic so it's exciting for me to not be so up in the air with everything.**

**With this SUNDAY UPDATE (I'm still really proud of myself.. don't judge), I will sign off, especially since I've been getting emails from you all _as I'm writing these annotations_ telling me to hurry the eff up. Please leave your reviews and if you're going to hate me, make sure the rocks you throw at me don't hit my face.**

**love love love :) see you next Sunday.**


	10. Chapter 10: Keep Your Head Up

**This chapter will start off with a lovely reminder of the fact that THERE IS NO WAY IN HECK I COULD EVER DESERVE THE AMOUNT OF PRAISE, COMPLIMENTS, SUPPORT, AND LOYALTY I HAVE FROM MY LOVELY READERS! We are officially in the double digits when it comes to chapters and we are already past two hundred reviews, something, which I'll again state, has never happened to me before on a story. Every time I receive a review from you all (every. time.) I want to jump up and down and scream, but instead I just compromise with a big cheesy grin which always causes the people around me to stare and wonder just how many problems I have. But in all seriousness, thank you. Thank you for making this story so popular and loved. I'm so blessed to have people that are literally begging me for the next chapter. You continue to amaze me every week and I am so grateful for my amazing, amazing readers.**

**Because of the support you all have shown me, I have decided to continue with this story. A major, major change is coming up in my life (college, in two weeks, gulp) and I couldn't imagine entering that stage without this stable community. I wish I could give you all a better chapter to show you just how much I love you all, but unfortunately, I'm not too proud of this one. I know it sounds like I say this every chapter, but there are chapters I'm proud of. This just doesn't happen to be one of them :p.**

**Two things to clarify before we move on: 1) Many of you all were confused by whether Elena had made her decision or not in the end of last chapter. She did and has chosen to move ahead with the book. This was shown by the way Elena treated Damon nicely when he entered her room instead of snapping at him. 2) I spoke in the annotations last chapter about the concept of a time jump. So be forewarned there is a big time jump and what seems to be a major shift in the relationships of the story. Don't be alarmed. I did my best to explain everything you missed.**

**Alright, your forever grateful and in your debt author will shut the eff up now.**

* * *

Chapter 10: Keep Your Head Up

_Oh yeah, keep your head up, keep your heart strong._  
_No, no, no, no, keep your mind set, keep your hair long._  
_Oh my darlin', keep your head up, keep your heart strong._  
_Na, oh, no, no, keep your mind set in your ways._

"God, that thing is hideous!"

Elena threw her head back in laughter, but tried to maintain her serious position. "No, Damon, it's _luxurious_. There's a difference."

"You look ridiculous." Elena let out an exaggerated sigh as she shifted back and forth in front of the mirror, modeling the latest thing Caroline had purchased for her. The oversized fur (faux, Caroline had reassured) jacket had been thrown on over her basic skinny jeans and plain top. She was never planning on wearing the garment outside of the house, but it was always fun to screw with Damon. "If I just saw you walking down the street, I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole."

His comment brought a mischievous smirk to her face. She whirled around to face the man that was propped up on her bed, casually sprawled across the pillows. "Oh really? You sure about that?"

"Hell yes… you're wearing _road kill_, Elena."

She stalked closer towards him and found herself leaning her hands on the bed, one placed on the outside of each of his hips. Her voice turned into a sultry whisper. "What if I wasn't wearing _anything_ underneath it?" She had to hold back the full-face grin watching his cocky expression falter. "Still gonna use that pole?"

His nervousness only lasted for a moment before his eyes darkened and the smirk reappeared. "Oh, I'd use a whole other pole, honey." Elena bit her lip, staring into his eyes, before pushing herself off of her hands and heading towards the closet to put the offensive jacket back on its hanger.

The teasing between the pair had grown increasingly normal over the past few months. The insignificant comments had turned into on-purpose touches and the occasional glances had turned into full-out dares. They had become pros at testing boundaries and pushing to see if the other would crack, but neither did. So the constant sexual banter stayed, a fun game that had made their relationship grow far more platonic than it had been in the past.

"Alright, let's get back to work," Elena sighed, throwing herself onto the bed where she positioned herself next to Damon on her stomach, grabbing a handful of popcorn from the bowl they'd been sharing. Their evening had started as all the other interviews had. Damon had shown up, smashed and ready to spill, and Elena had invited him in, recorder ready to go. The growing level of comfort between the two had turned the more formal meetings into a casual conversation session. They'd started to do them in her bed since that one night where Damon had been too exhausted to sit up straight. That particular interview hadn't given Elena too much information, but it had been quite fun to play "wake up Damon every time he's about to fall asleep."

The change between the two had come gradually. When Elena had decided to accept Victoria's offer, she had to play the role of perfect employee and friend. The first week or so had been incredibly uncomfortable, but she'd suffered through it, pretending to be perfectly okay with what Damon and the other Originals had done. But just as faking a smile can actually boost happiness, she was growing increasingly unsure of whether or not her role was still just a role. She found herself going to bed with a smile on her face almost every night and she was fairly sure it was genuine.

Subconsciously, she knew she was having the time of her life at the house. Like how for Anna's nineteenth birthday, they'd had an impromptu paint fight in the barn. Dunking a bucket of paint on Damon's head had been far too satisfying. Or when she'd gone grocery shopping with Klaus to pick up something Bernie had forgotten and he'd pushed her down the aisles in the shopping cart until they were kicked out for causing a disturbance. She'd helped bring home a high and naked Kol who had run off into a nearby daisy field and refused to come home. She'd set off lakeside fireworks with the whole group, almost blowing Katherine's head off in the process. But every time Elena booted her computer back up and saw that _other_ document sitting there, she was reminded of what she was truly doing. So she'd take a deep breath, remember her goals, and write down whatever she'd heard from Stefan or Caroline or whomever it had been that she'd made an effort to talk to that day.

The world of being a double agent of sorts wasn't all glamour. No, Elena was working her ass off to write two books at the same time. One would seem to flow while she'd get massive writer's block on the other and then the next week it would switch. The times she had previously spent watching television reruns or surfing the Internet were now spent with her fingers constantly typing.

The guilt didn't go away either. Elena had assumed that once she started Victoria's book it would eventually fade, but every sentence that was far too personal or catty caused a pain in her chest. She knew the day would come when everything she'd established with the Originals would come to a screeching and explosive halt, but for now, she clung to the present and her ultimate ambitions. It was the only way she would survive.

Damon let out a deep sigh. "Okay, shoot."

Elena pressed the record button again, having turned it off when they'd gotten distracted. She ran her finger down the lined page and then selected her next question. "Excluding romantic love, when was the last time you told someone you loved them. Who were they to you?"

Damon pursed his lips in thought. "Hmm… I guess Stefan."

Elena smirked. "I'm fairly sure if I went back and checked, your answer to ninety percent of these questions would be Stefan."

Damon lifted his hands in surrender. "What? He's my brother. What do you expect? He's important to me."

Elena curled her lips up in mock disgust. "Oh god, is that it?"

Damon furrowed his eyebrows. "Is what it?"

"Do you two have some weird incestual brother love thing going on? Because I don't think I can handle that." Her disgusted glare turned into a grin, indicating her joking nature. "Although that would get you on the Today show real quick."

Damon growled as she laughed, rolling his body on top of hers to tickle her sides. Elena squealed loudly through her laughter. "Oh, god stop! Damon Salvatore!" Finally, after her constant kicking and screaming, he stopped, his body fully straddled over her.

"You're such a bitch," he said with a grin, breathing heavily from his exertions.

"The Salvatore brothers… or lovers? Find out at six," Elena replied in a newscaster tone. Damon raised his hands to attack her again and she squealed, lifting her hands to defend herself. "I'm sorry!" she yelled. "I'll stop, promise."

"Fine, what's next?"

"Umm," Elena turned her head to the side, trying to read the notebook. "It's a wee bit difficult to read this notebook when you're on top of me."

"There's one I haven't heard before," Damon smirked.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Are you planning on doing the rest of the interview like this?"

Damon positioned himself back onto the pillows next to her, grabbing a handful of the popcorn and then popping pieces in his mouth one kernel at a time. Elena rolled back up to her previous place, feeling oddly upset that he hadn't wanted to continue their time in that position but shook it off, selecting her next question. "If there was one moment and one time in the last month you could change, what would you change and why?"

That question gave Damon pause, which made Elena secretly happy. She'd never interviewed someone with such a rapid response to questions. It blew her away how quickly he could answer even the deepest of inquiries. The ones that got him were the ones she rarely expected.

Finally, Damon let out a sigh. "Can we extend that deadline? Say… in the past three or four months?"

The piece of popcorn in Elena's mouth suddenly felt very dry. Oh god, was he going to bring up that night? The one where he'd put his hands on her and called her a whore? _That_ was his one regret? A sick part of her wanted to hear him say it so she acquiesced. "Um, sure. If you're so inclined." She turned her head to the notebook, unable to make eye contact when he said it.

"I wouldn't have selected you for the job." _Woah_. That wasn't an answer she was expecting. In fact, that one stung more than the expected one. She whipped her head up towards him, mouth agape.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, flabbergasted.

"No, no. Not like that. It's just…" Damon let out a deep exhale, running his hands through his hair like he always did when he was frustrated or at a loss for words. "I hate that you have to put up with me. I mean, you're working constantly, you barely sleep since the only times we do interviews are when I'm drunk, and let's face it: I'm an asshole." Damon's glance had been on the wall in front of him as he'd spoken, but it now turned towards her. "It was selfish of me to hire you. I'm just making your life miserable." He gulped, turning his head back. "I should have hired somebody else."

Elena's entire body was tense. _Did he know? _Did he know about the Original girl controversy? She knew the rest of the house was aware of it, but she hadn't seen any signs of his knowledge. But the intensity of his last few statements made her question it. She knew he couldn't jump to any assumptions, but it made her wary. If Damon did know, was he keeping her here anyway? Would he really be so stubborn as to hold up the contract even though she was guaranteed failure?

Elena also felt nervous about his "working constantly" statement, knowing good and well the constant business wasn't all his book. If he took enough time to consider it, he would realize the amount of work produced didn't equal the amount of hours put in. Her defensive nature kicked in. She had to convince him otherwise.

"Damon, I'm hardly an underappreciated employee. Just look at my salary… a ridiculous number by the way." It was true. At this point, Elena had almost eight hundred thousand dollars in her bank account. She'd had to be placed into a special program through her bank since her account required extra attention. "And I'm not… _miserable_." Elena was surprised by how hard it was to say the word. Was she miserable and she had just been covering it up in the craziness of the house? She wasn't sure.

Damon glanced back towards her, regarding her to see if he believed her. "Whatever you say won't change my mind. There isn't enough money in the world to make my presence bearable for this long." And there it was. Damon had been right when he'd said he was far more open when he was intoxicated. It seemed every interview or so, he would release some dark thought or little tidbit about himself that she knew he would never admit sober. Occasionally, those thoughts were incredibly self-deprecating and Elena felt a pang in her chest every time.

"Damon, that's not true," she murmured, her hand subconsciously reaching out to place itself on his arm.

"Really?" he scoffed. "Tell me, would you be here, doing this, if I wasn't paying you?"

Elena flinched. "Damon, that's not fair," she whispered. Damon didn't respond, instead reaching over to Elena's nightstand to grab the bottle he'd brought in, lifting it to his lips. She tried again. "You don't pay the Originals."

"You think they _enjoy_ my presence, Elena? They put up with me. Big difference. And it's only because of Stefan." Damon paused, rubbing his thumb up and down the bottle and staring down into its amber depths. She watched as something dark appeared in Damon's blue eyes, but it faded just as quickly as it came. He let out a bitter laugh, physically shaking his head as if to remove the thought from it. "God, you're right. I do sound like I have a crush on Stefan. Never stop talking about the bastard." He smirked, turning his gaze back to Elena as though the previous moment had never occurred. "What else you got for me?"

Elena's face held a sad smile as she flipped the cover of the notebook back and pressed stop on the recorder. "Nothing, we're done."

"Elena-" Damon began, a guilty expression on his face.

"Seriously, we're done." Elena stood up, stretching her stiff back. "I'm exhausted with all of this overworking me you're doing." She stuck her tongue out at him, attempting to lighten the mood with a joke. The genuine smile he flashed soon afterwards made the muscle tension go away almost instantaneously. Damon got up off of her bed, tightly latched onto the bottle as Elena walked him to the door.

Damon was about five steps from the room when she called him back. "Damon!" He turned, his expression curious. Elena's hands played with the door, hesitant to speak. "I know I don't always seem happy." She sighed, looking down at her feet for a moment to gather the courage. "But I'm content. Can you settle for content?"

Damon let a small smile escape and nodded his head. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I can."

* * *

"Stop playing with your phone and tell me how hot I look!" Elena's head snapped up, regarding the leggy blonde in front of her who was now sporting a metallic lace bustier in a pink and gold color with matching thong.

"I still don't understand why we're here, Caroline," Elena grumbled. She'd really been on a good writing streak when Caroline had busted into her room, demanding the brunette accompany her on her shopping mission.

Caroline looked shocked that Elena was even asking the question. "Because, Elena," she whined. "My boyfriend has lost all interest in me sexually and I have to do something to get him back!"

Elena rolled her eyes at Caroline's statement. Caroline had expressed earlier in the car how it had been over two weeks since she and Klaus had slept together and in her mind that meant the entire relationship must be over. Elena was now stuck trying to convince her otherwise.

"Caroline, your boyfriend has not lost all interest in you. It's been crazy around the house lately. Besides, you're _you_. You don't need skimpy lingerie to get his attention. He loves you."

Caroline sighed, turning to regard herself in the mirror as Elena looked awkwardly around the luxurious store. As far as the eye could see were rows upon rows of designer lace, silk, and sparkle. Almost every item Caroline had tried on was well over three hundred dollars and barely anything in the store was larger than a napkin. As much as the almost four months with the Originals had provided a sense of jadedness when it came to wealth, Elena still occasionally had her small town, middle class moments when she was in situations like this.

Obviously Elena's words hadn't affected Caroline in the slightest. "Ma'am," Caroline strutted towards the front of the store, "do you have any costumes?" Elena smirked. Although Caroline could be incredibly obnoxious, her antics always did provide a fun ride.

Elena happily went back to her phone, scrolling through some celebrity news she'd missed out on when suddenly her phone started to ring. _Victoria_. Elena gulped. It was one thing to be working on this tell-all under the same roof as the Originals, but actually speaking to the woman that would be paying her for it in the same area as one of them felt different. She'd have to take it outside.

Elena picked up her vibrant clutch and headed out of the dressing area. She passed Caroline on the way out, who was now monopolizing all of the saleswoman's attention, holding up an ensemble that resembled a vampire vixen. "Elena!" Caroline called. "Where are you going?"

"Um, outside. Have to take a call from my parents." Caroline nodded, accepting Elena's response without hesitation. It made her feel even worse. Elena had always been known for having an awful poker face but accepting this deal meant that she had to learn how to lie properly. And now, she was far too good at it.

The chilly air hit Elena like a ton of bricks. Caroline's spontaneous invitation had caused Elena to forget a jacket and she shivered in her loose, billowy top and gray skinny jeans. "Hello?" Elena answered.

"I didn't appreciate the wait, Ms. Gilbert," Victoria snapped. Elena flinched at her cruel tone. The more Elena had gotten to know Victoria, the colder the woman had grown with her. Victoria knew that she was in the position of power in this relationship, and she used it to her advantage.

"I'm sorry. I was with Caroline. I had to make an excuse to get out," she spluttered.

Victoria's voice notably softened. "What has she told you?" she whispered greedily.

"Um," Elena faltered. Caroline hadn't exactly told her anything scandal worthy yet. Nothing that would help sell a book at least. "Well, she's really concerned about her relationship with Klaus, _super_ insecure."

"I already know that, Elena." Victoria sounded furious. "You've gone on and on about it for ten pages."

"Oh." Elena played with her long stranded necklace. "I just…"

"Look, Elena. You're giving me nothing." Elena heard papers slam as though Victoria had been holding the drafts she'd sent over. "Everyone's insecure in their relationship. We don't want to make them relatable. We want to make them fuck-ups."

That one made Elena break. "They're human. They're not _monsters_, Victoria." Elena paused, realizing she'd just denied a fact she'd claimed for a very long time. She'd used that very word countless times to describe them in her head. Yet here she was defending them. Pretty sick when she was about to become wealthy purely based on airing their dirty laundry out to dry.

Victoria sighed. "I know that, too, Elena, but... this isn't enough. _Everyone_ has dirt. If they put themselves in the limelight, they're accepting the fact that their dirt will come to the light eventually. You're just lucky enough to be the vessel in which it does."

Elena scoffed. "I wouldn't exactly call my situation _lucky_."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Don't grow soft on me, Gilbert. If you don't perform your task satisfactorily, you're going to end up a very _unlucky_ woman. Do you understand me? I'm doing you a favor."

Elena bit her lip. "Yes, I understand. And I'm doing my best. I promise. I have to earn their trust before they'll let me in. But…"

"But what, Elena?"

"What if they truly don't have anything? Anything that bad, that is?"

Victoria laughed. "Like I said. _Everyone_ has a dirty little secret, something they don't want anyone to know… You can't tell me there isn't something _you_ have that you wouldn't want to see the light of day."

Elena's palms began to sweat. She certainly did, and it had _nothing_ to do with what she was doing to the Originals. "You're right. I'm sorry I'm disappointing you." Elena desperately just wanted to get off of the call as quickly as possible. Caroline was bound to have a first-class meltdown soon and she should probably be around to protect the store workers. "I'll try harder."

"Good. You're a great writer, Ms. Gilbert. I'm just expecting what I know you're capable of. You're a lot more devious than you'd like to think." With that last cutting comment, Victoria hung up, leaving a very scared girl in platform heels standing alone.

* * *

"If you're here for a rematch Kol, just know I'll beat your ass in Battleship regardless of how much you cried last time- Elena. _God damn_."

Elena giggled. "Like what you see?" she said in a faux sultry tone as she walked over, plopping herself down on the couch next to him and propping her legs up on the coffee table. She watched as his eyes trailed over her long, tan legs, bared in a pair of geometric patterned shorts, her ankles wrapped in black wedge espadrilles.

"Oh yes," Klaus said, licking his lips subconsciously.

"Well, stop," she laughed. "Your girlfriend is way too hot to waste a second looking at me."

"Hmm," Klaus grinned. "Yes, you're absolutely right. But you're not too bad yourself, Gilbert."

"Oh, thank you. I'm _so_ flattered," she teased. "Alright, let's go."

Klaus cocked his eyebrow up. "Go? Go where?"

Elena stood up, extending her hand to pull him up. "_You_ are going to take me to a nice, relaxing dinner so that you're out of the house so your girlfriend can set up your surprise."

Klaus' eyes lit up in excitement. "Oh, _really_? And you are the stunning decoy?"

"I'm just a regular Bond girl, Mr. Mikaelson. Now come on. I want a really expensive meal and I heard you're just the guy to ask if I want to burn money."

Klaus laughed. "You heard correctly, Ms. Gilbert." He extended his arm so Elena could hook it in his. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Nothing too exhilarating. I have specific instructions not to tire you out."

"Oh my god," Klaus mockingly grabbed at his heart. "A date with a hot Bond girl before my girlfriend ravishes me at home. Engrave my headstone. I'm ready to die a happy man."

* * *

Elena shivered as they stepped outside of the limo onto the driveway. Pulling her black cardigan more tightly over her plain black tank top, she registered just how much fun she'd had that evening. Klaus had kept her constantly entertained with embarrassing stories about Damon. She'd been able to pass it off as work, bringing her recorder out so that she could remember all the details, but it had honestly been more pleasure than business.

One of the things she'd definitely been convinced of was how wrong Caroline was. When he wasn't sharing mortifying Damon tidbits, he couldn't stop talking about her. His eyes practically glowed with the amount of love he had for her. In fact, as he spouted on and on about how he couldn't wait to propose, Elena felt a twinge of sadness realizing just how far away she was from that stage in her own life. She'd always expected to settle down and get married at some point, but with her utter lack of experience in relationships at the age of twenty-three, she wondered if she wouldn't find someone until she was in the retirement home.

Walking up the porch steps, Elena shoved a Red Bull in Klaus' direction, begging him to drink it. "It was one yawn!" he laughed around the can she was shoving at his throat. "I'm fine!"

"Caroline will skin me alive if you fall asleep on her. Swallow it… now!"

Klaus opened the door and they stepped into the foyer, their voices loud and echoing against the walls. "There's one I haven't heard before." Elena was still a bit "high on life" from their dinner and laughed hysterically at his comment, tears coming to her eyes. She stumbled with him towards the living room.

"Hey, if there is anyone in this house who writes the gay fanfiction, it's you!" She shouted through her laughter. "Now drink this so Caroline can fuck you properly!"

"Well, that's pleasant." Elena's head shot up towards Klaus' who was now staring at the source of the voice. Elena looked to her right, realizing the living room was filled with every Original and two others she didn't recognize, all gawking at the newest arrival.

"Mom," Stefan stood up. "Dad, you know Klaus." He cleared his throat and nodded in the direction of the now ash white girl. "And this is Elena Gilbert."

"Elena," Damon said from his seated position. "Meet my parents."

Elena felt as her entire throat went dry and her knees trembled. The words "utter humiliation" didn't even begin to cover it. Caroline looked just about as mortified, too, given that Elena had entered with that winning one-liner directed towards her sex life.

Her sense of damage control kicked in and she moved forward with her hand out towards the pair. "Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore, it's a pleasure to meet you." Both warily accepted her handshake. "I, um, apologize for earlier. Klaus took me out to dinner and I was just-"

"Klaus, I thought you were dating Caroline," Giuseppe interrupted.

Klaus coughed, obviously not expecting the question. "Oh, I am, sir. For three years now."

"And you appreciate your loving girlfriend of three years by taking out another woman?"

Elena turned to look at Klaus, who seemed to be absolutely terrified of Giuseppe. "Oh, no, see I was just-"

Giuseppe didn't allow him to finish. "Caroline," he whipped his head around.

"Sir?" Her face was now verging on a tomato-like shade of red.

"Were you aware of this date?" Giuseppe asked.

"Oh, it wasn't a date, Mr. Salvatore," Caroline scrambled, obviously wanting to avoid the true nature of the arrangement. "Elena was just-"

Once again, Giuseppe interrupted. "Just the appetizer before you quote-on-quote 'fucked him properly?'"

Caroline looked close to tears. "Um-"

"And were you not aware that my wife and I were coming into town?"

"No, I _was_," Caroline pleaded. "I just… forgot."

"Hmph," Giuseppe sighed. "Well, it's always nice to be _forgotten_."

The room grew silent for a moment as Giuseppe turned his head back towards Elena gazing at her up and down. Elena suddenly remembered that she'd purposefully worn a sexy outfit, given that she was meant to "distract" Klaus. She gulped, tucking the thin black cardigan more tightly around her so none of her cleavage was showing. "I'm sorry I wasn't prepared for your arrival, Mr. Salvatore. I'll just head upstairs and change into something more formal."

"Nonsense," he boomed. "We've been waiting long enough for you two to get back. Stefan?" He turned his head to his son, offering him a smile. "Would you escort your mother and I to the dining area?"

"Certainly," Stefan replied dutifully. The other Originals filed out slowly after the Salvatores, leaving Caroline, Damon, Klaus and Elena last.

"Why did you not answer your phone?!" Damon harshly whispered to Klaus.

"I'm sorry I was trying to be a gentleman to Elena here."

"Elena's not exactly dressed like a _lady_," Caroline chirped in.

"Caroline! You picked the outfit out for me!"

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I guess it's just left over anger from you informing everyone of my plans to fuck Klaus!"

"And what the hell was up with the gay fanfiction line?!" Damon spluttered.

Klaus and Elena shared a sheepish smile. "Nothing," they replied in unison.

"Don't smile!" Damon snapped. "_Nobody_ should be smiling right now except for my parents!"

"Should I go change?" Elena whispered.

"No! They're already pissed about waiting for you two so long."

"Why didn't you let me know they were coming earlier?!" Klaus interjected.

"They decided to come a day early and only told Stefan ten minutes before they arrived. None of us knew!"

"Alright!" Caroline snapped. "Let's just get this over with so I can die of embarrassment later."

As they walked into the dining room, Elena grabbed Caroline's arm. "Care, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," Caroline's face softened. "You didn't know. I tend to get bitchy when I'm self-conscious."

"Finally," Giuseppe remarked when they entered. "I was beginning to think you all had died."

* * *

The dinner went just about as smoothly as Elena and Klaus' entrance had. Since Giuseppe had spoken without any commentary from his wife in the living room, Elena had assumed he was the cruel one while Viviana was just the poor sap married to him. But instead, the woman wouldn't stop making critical comments the entire meal. The food was too cold, Anna chewed too loudly, and god forbid anyone bring up a topic of conversation that wasn't on the very small list of approved ones that she'd predetermined in her head. It was as if the Originals were walking through a field of landmines and they were not very successful in avoiding them.

The only time when the conversation seemed to be pleasant was when it was directed towards Stefan or Lexi. Viviana was always giving Lexi compliments, whether it be on her hair or latest essay she'd sent over. Giuseppe wouldn't stop raving about the last movie Stefan directed and seemed upset that no one else in the room was as overly excited as he was.

"Will you two ever get married?" Viviana asked, eyes sparkling at the idea.

Lexi politely smiled. "I'm not sure Viviana. We've only been together for two years."

"Two years is quite enough time, I should think," Giuseppe exclaimed, a pointed glance towards both Klaus and Elijah.

"Well, actually," Elijah interjected. "Katherine and I are engaged." Katherine grinned as she held up the ring for them to see.

Neither Giuseppe or Viviana even smiled. "That's wonderful," Viviana remarked, the distaste seeping through her words.

"I'll never quite get used to the idea of a man letting the woman propose," Giuseppe commented, stuffing a cooked carrot slice into his mouth.

Elijah shook his head as Katherine slowly brought her hand down. "Sir, Katherine didn't propose. I did."

"Elijah, my boy, with the way Katherine's been pressuring you to get married, she might as well have."

Elena had been making occasional glances towards Damon the whole night to check his reaction. She knew he obviously didn't hold any sort of liking towards his parents but she was blown away by the pure fury she saw on his face. Apparently, his father's last comment finally made him snap.

"Why don't you just tell us why you really came here, _Dad_?" Elena wondered if there was visible venom on his tongue.

Giuseppe sighed. "Damon, why must you think I have no redeeming qualities?"

"Possibly because you don't," he countered back.

Giuseppe's eyes narrowed as he placed his silverware down on the table. He seemed ready to unleash a world of anger on his older son, but Viviana interjected. "We came to talk about the Elena situation."

Elena felt all of the blood rush out of her face. Oh my god. She hadn't even thought about what they would think about the newest developments. It hadn't even crossed her mind that they would have heard.

"I didn't realize there _was_ an Elena situation." Damon had been sitting next to her the whole night, something that rarely happened, but now Elena was grateful for it.

"You hired her to write your biography. I would deem that to be a _situation_. Elena, would you not?"

Elena gulped. "Um, I guess you could use that definition."

"You _guess_?" Viviana repeated. "Stupidity doesn't suit you, dear."

Elena's eyes widened as Damon responded. "Why would you need to show up for Elena? She's just like the rest of the girls here. You never made a special visit for them."

"Damon, this isn't like those other times," Giuseppe spoke up. "Elena brings a very specific set of baggage to this deal and I don't think either of you want to open that up."

"_Baggage_? What are you talking about?" Damon's face was marred with his confusion.

"How much is he paying you, Elena?" Giuseppe countered, turning his attention toward the gawking girl next to his son.

"I'm sorry?" Elena stuttered.

Giuseppe sighed as though he were talking to someone incredibly slow. "How much is my son paying you to write this book for him?"

Elena wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond to such an intrusive inquiry, especially with so many eyes watching her. "My salary is confidential between Damon and I, sir," she replied weakly.

Viviana rolled her eyes. "Obviously, he's paying her far more than she deserves with that attitude."

Elena's jaw dropped open. "Excuse me?" she spluttered.

"Don't address me with that tone, young lady. I am your superior!"

Elena felt her body practically go into shock. Giuseppe interrupted before she could counter back. "Ms. Gilbert, I am willing to offer you triple what my son is paying you if you will leave this house immediately and completely detach yourself from the Salvatore name."

"_What_?" Elena screeched.

Giuseppe continued more loudly. "We will tell the reporters that an Original girl was never selected in the first place and that Damon will not be continuing on the legacy of his fellow Originals. You will never speak of your time here to anyone or we will pursue legal action."

Elena couldn't believe what she was hearing. She turned her head towards her side, looking at Damon, but he was just staring blankly at his fork. She regarded the rest of the table and realized everyone else was doing the same. Not _one_ was defending her.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena was barely able to get out the words.

"Because you will only bring disgrace to my son!" Giuseppe hissed.

"Since when did you care about your son?" Elena snapped. Now that she realized she was fighting this battle on her own, she had to pull out the big guns.

"I have _always_ cared about my son. It's not my fault he's a constant disappointment."

"Oh, god," Viviana moaned. "How long have you two been sleeping together?"

Elena balked. "Not that it's any of your business, but Damon and I are not involved."

"I addressed my son, not his whore."

Elena whipped her head towards Damon, desperate for him to react. "Damon?" Viviana asked again. "Care to say anything?" He didn't answer, just biting his lip and staring into nothing. "Do you have _no_ opinion on the fact that this girl holds the key to your complete and utter demise?"

Finally, Damon responded. "Elena and I aren't sleeping together," he mumbled. Elena's heart sunk in her chest. _That_ was it. That was all he was going to say. He wasn't even going to defend her. A small part of her realized she'd once again opened herself up to being hurt by Damon Salvatore. But the larger part of her was just pissed.

Abruptly, she stood up, ripping the napkin off of her lap and slamming it onto the table. Giuseppe and Viviana stared at her as if she were an animal escaped from the zoo.

"Fine." She snapped bitterly. "If Damon no longer wants me around in the fear of his _reputation_ being ruined, I will go. But _that_ is a discussion he and I will have when he finally decides to speak. As for your money, I don't want any part of it and I'm sickened by the offer." She turned her head back towards Damon, giving him one last chance to save his ass, but he was just looking at her in disbelief. She scoffed, shaking her head. Everything had been a waste. Now that the cat was out of the bag, she had no chance of lasting a moment longer in that house and especially no chance of finishing either book. Pushing her chair back and propelling herself out of the room, she knew there was at least one thing left she could accomplish.

She was going to have one hell of a birthday.

**I have a feeling all of the reviews are going to stop after this chapter hahaha. All right, insecurities aside, what did we think? (Honesty is my only policy.) First off, let's talk about the nasty, nasty parents. There is a reason Damon cannot stand his parents and you all saw it here folks (There is a lot more to their story, as well.) I know a lot of you will be frustrated by the lack of action from the rest of the table, but they have their reasons which will be explained in the next chapter. How did we feel about the time jump? I know it seemed a bit odd to have D&E being friends again without seeing the development, but I had to move the story along the timeline or we'd never get to the end. Also, what do you think Elena's dirty little secret is? Finally, we have a certain someone's birthday coming up and Elena will make sure all hell breaks loose. What do you think are in her big bday plans?**

**Okay, so I do want to make a quick side note since I saw a lot of talk about it in the reviews. As an author, I want you all to be disappointed in Elena for the decision she made. In no way, shape, or form am I condoning her choice. We all can see that her decision to write the book for Victoria will only blow up in her face, but Elena doesn't have that knowledge. I don't want you to hate Elena though. Just try to understand exactly where she's coming from and who she is as a character. To me, I completely understand why she chose the path she did (even if it was a wrong one) and I hope you all can too.**

**Okay, well I'm going to go get some sleep. Once again, thank you for ten amazing chapters and all of your fabulous reviews. I will see you all on Sunday! **


	11. Chapter 11: Such Great Heights

**So... this chapter. I have, probably even in the entirety of this story, never loved a chapter more than this one. Immediately after I finished my review replies, I started writing this one and it was like the words just didn't stop flowing. I was finished with this chapter two days early which basically never ever happens to me. And I loved it! I loved the fact that I had very few writing blocks. I loved the events of this chapter and all of the little details. I loved the character development. I just loved it. I had a huge grin on my face as I wrote it, I'm sure. It probably scared the people I was in Starbucks with. :) And when I edited today, letting myself take a break from it to see if I felt differently after a few days, I still loved it. Very little editing needed to be done and I was proud of myself.**

**Now this is an odd way to start off this chapter, I know. But I say this mostly as a way to convince you that I don't hate every chapter I post. I promise I'm not sitting here saying every chapter sucks just digging for compliments. There are chapters I'm very proud of and this is one of them. This is obviously a very risky move. If you all hate it, after I've been so excited, it will probably sting a lot more. I could be completely wrong and this could be the worst chapter I've written yet and you may hate it.**

**Honestly, I express my love for this chapter because I hope you feel the same love for it. I hope you read it with a smile on your face and leave me a review with the same sentiments. But it might not happen. And that's fine. I'll probably go back to hating every word I type next chapter, but for now, I'm content.**

**Woo, super personal annotation, but I'll go back to talking about the story in the bottom one. Now on with the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 11: Such Great Heights

_They will see us waving from such great heights_  
_Come down now, they'll say_  
_But everything looks perfect from far away_  
_Come down now but we'll stay_

When Elena's alarm went off early that morning, she was fairly sure it had never been as loud in her entire life. Typically, the events of the past day or week would take some time to sink into her groggy brain, but what had occurred at dinner rang out loud and clear in her mind the second her eyes opened. The plans she'd been formulating as she'd tried to fall asleep the night before were at the forefront and she ripped the blankets off of her bed in order to start them as soon as possible.

Elena had already taken a shower the night before so getting ready took far less time than it normally did in the mornings. She threw on a white t-shirt and some worn in jean shorts, knowing she wouldn't be outside for too long. She yanked a black and white tuxedo blazer off of a hanger, and some black ankle boots from the floor, hastily shoving them on her feet. She didn't bother with any makeup and just threw her hair into a high ponytail, knowing she could fix herself up a bit more at her destination. Grabbing her giant color block bag, she put in the clothing she knew she'd need inside, along with the other essentials. Purposefully leaving behind her laptop, notebooks, and anything else that would remind her of work, she took one last look at the room before closing the door behind her. She knew she'd be back. She just needed a breather.

Marching down the stairs she'd now mastered, regardless of heel height, she made her way into the kitchen where she was confronted with three faces from the previous night. Elijah and Lexi were behind the counter and Caroline was on one of the stools. The spoon she'd been holding dropped with a loud clang onto the marble counter, obviously shocked that Elena had made an appearance.

"Good morning," Elena said briskly. She made sure to not include a hint of warmth in her tone. Today would not be spoiled by her good girl nature. No, there was no room for that. She made her way to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water and chucking another into her bag. Now it was time to go through the necessary business.

"Elijah, can you get me in touch with the driver?" Elena spoke as though none of the previous events had occurred. Her lackadaisical attitude was more than likely the cause of the dropped jaws and stunned gazes.

"Elena-" Lexi began.

"What?" Elena cut her off, her tone sharp. "If you don't mind, I have somewhere to be so whatever you're going to say needs to be quick."

Lexi faltered a bit at Elena's agitated tone. "Don't you think we should discuss what happened last night?" She asked, sounding like that of a concerned mother.

Elena let out a bitter laugh, cocking her hip to the side and placing her hand on it. "Actually, I thought we should have discussed what happened last night _last fucking night_, but obviously, I was in the minority." At this point, Elena was desperately trying to hold back her smile. The looks on the faces of the three people she was facing were hysterical. Hearing Elena swear was a rarity they were seldom introduced to, so the f-bomb alone had caused them to go nearly white.

Lexi looked as though she was about to speak again, but Elena interrupted her once more. "Look, what happened last night is done. It's an issue that can be dealt with at a later date, as much as you all think otherwise. But honestly, you all gave up the right to decide when we dealt with this when you all developed selective muteness at that dinner table."

Caroline spoke up, her voice almost timid. "Are you leaving?" It reminded her of when Damon had come into her room all those weeks ago, wondering the same.

"Just for the day. Since you all obviously won't be any help, I'll just head down to the garage. That's where he normally hangs out, right?" She paused, a thought suddenly occurring to her. Why shouldn't she start the fun early? "Oh, screw it." She strutted back to the fridge, chucking the bottled water back in and yanking out a beer. If she'd thought their faces has been hysterical before, she hadn't seen anything yet. Grabbing the nearby bottle opener, she let the cap fly and gulped down her first taste of alcohol in over four months. "God damn, that's good," she smirked.

"Um, Elena, are you-" Caroline mumbled.

"Happy fucking birthday to me!" She snapped, cutting off the blonde. She watched as the realizations crossed over their faces and grimaced. "Whatever," she mumbled, grabbing the beer bottle as she left. "I'll be back tomorrow."

As she walked down the large driveway toward the garage, a niggling sense of embarrassment hit her. She'd acted crazy in there. It was bound to happen eventually. She'd been playing a role for the past four months, pretending to like everyone in that damn house for weeks and weeks. She ignored the part of her saying that she _hadn't_ been pretending, especially with Damon, and took another gulp of the beer, letting the amber liquid push her cares away.

She found the driver, Tom, leaning against his car as though he was expecting her. "Miss Gilbert. I just got off of the phone with Elijah. He said you needed the car?"

Elena bit her lip, some more remorse from her previous actions hitting her. But she knew the routine by now. Take a sip, continue forward. "Yes, thank you very much." She slid into the seat, stretching her legs out in front of her and enjoying the heat of the car. The area had been freezing lately and she was grateful for some warmth. Leaning back into the leather seat, she watched as the driver got into his own.

"Where to, miss?"

"What's the fanciest hotel in Lyon?"

"That far ma'am? There's a wonderful ski lodge in the village."

"Oh no. _Definitely_ in Lyon."

"Well, there's La Cour des Loges."

Elena smirked. It even _sounded_ expensive. "Perfect."

"Oh and Miss Gilbert?"

"Yes?"

"Happy Birthday."

Elena grinned, sliding on her black sunglasses. She was going to raise some hell. If she was going down, she was going down in style.

* * *

Unfortunately, once she arrived, Elena was remiss to learn that the hotel, which had previously housed the King of Spain, Celine Dion, and the Rolling Stones, had already booked their most expensive room. They assured her that all of their rooms were flawless, so she selected a junior suite instead. Her fingers had shaken a bit, agreeing to spend almost six hundred dollars a night on a freaking room, but once she was taken to it, she could understand why. The room was all sleek hardwood floors and exposed brick. The living area was lovely, but what blew her away the most was the second story exposed bedroom and bathroom. She ran up the wooden stairs and threw herself down on top of the king sized bed, giggling like a maniac. Standing in the bedroom, she could see the entirety of the rest of the space, the area lofted directly above the living room. The bathroom was stunning as well and she couldn't wait to take a bath in there. Screw the rooms at the cottage: _this_ is how the other half should be living.

After oh so graciously tipping the man who'd taken her and her small bag up and watching him exit, she squealed. She couldn't believe she was actually doing something so amazing. Birthdays in the past typically included a small dinner at a fancy restaurant and a few gifts, but this… it was indescribable. She'd never done something so spontaneous and luxurious, but she was invigorated by it. She had the money now. Well, maybe Damon would force her to give the money back, given that he now knew everything. She should probably spend as much of it as she could before it was ripped away from her.

Elena groaned, hearing her phone go off. _Really_? They were already trying to contact her? She grabbed it, but instead was confronted with Victoria's name on her screen. _Oh, yeah… that._ Elena knew she'd have to let Victoria down as well. She was sure she'd only be in that house for a few more days, if that, and there was no way she had enough information to do that tell-all anymore. But today was Elena's day and nobody was going to ruin that for her. She threw the phone back on the bed, allowing it to ring through.

A knock interrupted her suddenly sobered thoughts and she bounded back down the stairs to answer it. Thanks to her informing the concierge, she'd received birthday champagne. She grinned, once again handing the highly attractive worker a generous tip and closing the door behind him. She put the ice bucket away, deciding she wasn't in the mood for it at the time. Instead, she went back upstairs and pulled out a far more French-approved outfit. She knew they were notorious for their sense of fashion and she was eager to please. She slid on some orange skinny jeans and paired it with a chambray shirt. After sliding tan boots up her legs and throwing her things into a geometric patterned bag, she waltzed down the hall and waited for the elevator. She had some birthday gifts to catch up on.

* * *

Elena let out a deep breath as her body sunk into the city bench. She plunked all of her bags down next to her and settled her purse in her lap. She'd spent the better part of the past four hours buying something in almost every shop on the Rue de la Republique. During her excursion, she'd received a birthday message from Bonnie. She'd purposely been ignoring all attempts at communication with her, since Bonnie had gone into absolute panic attack mode once she'd heard about the Original girl thing. Email after email had clogged up her inbox, Bonnie attempting to give her input on the situation. She'd neglected to respond to a single one of them, so she was surprised Bonnie had actually called. The message had been short and sweet, Bonnie saying how much she loved her and that she missed her, with only the faintest reminder that Elena needed to call her back. Elena knew that she would be able to explain everything soon, but she really did need her day off from everyone and everything.

Elena watched all of the people pass her by in the street. Gorgeous women in beautiful outfits. Older men in suits headed home for the day. Rowdy teenagers rapidly talking in their romantic language. Before all of this Original nonsense had occurred, Elena could easily picture herself as those that walked around her. But now, she felt separated, an outcast from the group. She wasn't exactly sure why. Maybe it was caused by all of the time she'd spent with the Originals. Lexi had seemingly expressed earlier that she'd always felt so different from those around her. It had probably rubbed off on Elena.

After deciding she'd spent far too much money and time, Elena headed back to her hotel. She stopped on the way, ordering a Nutella crepe in French, shocked by how much she had recalled from her school days. She'd always wanted to study abroad in college, but she'd had to spend far too much time catching up on credits to be able to do so. The hotel staff yanked the bags straight out of her hands once she arrived in the doors and helped her take them back to her room. Once they'd left, Elena plunked down on the couch, staring at the bottle of neglected champagne. Now, she determined, was the time for alcohol. But popping it open and allowing some of the foam to escape down her fingers wasn't nearly as fun as she'd thought it would be. Champagne wasn't something you opened in a room by yourself. You were supposed to share it with people. As much fun as she'd had that day, she'd never spent a birthday completely alone. After drinking two glasses worth of champagne straight from the bottle, Elena put into action the next part of her big, extravagant plan.

Elena had purposely brought the most scandalous dress she owned for the affair. It was a black corset dress, creating cleavage she could only describe as devilish. It fit tightly on her body, the skirt crafted from tightly wrapped chiffon as though it had been customized just for her curves. The straps were thin and Elena grabbed the box labeled Cartier from her bags. She nearly gasped as she felt the cool gold rest on her collarbones. She curled her hair and pulled it into a high yet messy chignon, allowing a tendril or two to fall from its secured position. Elena then applied a smoky eye and blood red lip, going all out for the occasion. Finally, she selected another small box from her multitude of bags and held the delicate fabric up to her face. The matching red and black lace mask finished off the look.

Given that her birthday was always the day before Halloween, Elena had been subjected to many a costume party in her childhood. She'd always enjoyed the vast amount of candy she'd received the day after, but once she'd reached her teens, she'd grown tired of the correlation between Halloween and her special day. She'd begun to avoid costume parties at all costs. But when she'd heard about this one, she couldn't resist. It was a massive masquerade party, one that extended beyond the main hotel it was located in and onto the Place Bellecour, otherwise known as the largest clear square in all of Europe. She could barely contain her excitement after discovering it online the night before. No invitation needed, just a costume and a mask. Elena hadn't exactly decided _what_ she was, but she was fairly sure it had something to do with sex.

* * *

Elena wobbled a bit in her tall heels, the alcohol from the day still having its effect on her. Her energy had been amped up the entire way to the square. She'd decided she would act like a native and take the metro and she was glad she did. Seeing everyone in his or her costumes all in full-on party mode was energizing and left her with a huge grin on her face. But once she arrived, the thrill was quickly gone.

It was absolutely packed with thousands upon thousands of partygoers. Around the perimeter, random people had set up folding tables stacked with beer or punch bowls filled with various concoctions. Elena had been an idiot to come. You should go to these types of things with a friend or a group of people, not alone. What did she think was going to happen? A white knight that _wasn't_ drunk off of his ass would whisk her away so she could have a magical birthday? She was so naïve. She'd hoped that by drinking she could gain enough liquid courage to just find a group herself, but instead, she'd stayed latched onto the same place.

She looked down at the carefully chosen outfit, growing more irritated with herself. She'd put far too much effort in something that was only earning her gropes and catcalls. No one had actually approached her yet. Well, until this guy.

Elena's senses were assaulted with the heady scent of alcohol and cologne as a fairly attractive guy in his twenties practically jumped her. Her eyes widened in shock as his lips smashed on to hers, roughly grabbing her by the waist and pulling her closer. _Okay, breathe, Elena. This is why you came here. You've done shit like this before. Go with it._ As she closed her eyes, allowing his tongue to enter her mouth and allowing her hands to grip at his shoulders, she was aware of his gang of buddies loudly cheering him on in an unfamiliar language. Thankfully, he was a good kisser.

Elena had done this before, many times. As much as everything Damon had said that awful night had been true, Elena had made out with guys before in high school. It had been an exceedingly long while since she had, but the rhythm was fairly easy to maintain. But of course, as soon as that night replayed in her mind, the hands on her lower back felt rough and heavy and his tongue just an unwelcome intrusion. Her panic started to increase a little bit. She wanted him off of her and she wanted him off quickly.

Elena shoved hard against his chest and watched as he stumbled back without so much as a second glance in her direction. When he turned back to his friends, they all let out a loud cheer and then pushed their way back into the depths of the crowd, obviously prowling for their next victim. Elena took a deep breath, happy that the situation hadn't turned out as badly as it could have. Being assaulted by some guy was _not_ a way to make her birthday memorable.

Elena finished her drink and pushed back through the crowds towards the line of taxis at the end of the square. She was officially done. She'd been stupid to come to Lyon, stupid to think she could have a good time for her birthday. Sure, the fancy hotel and the extravagant shopping spree had been entertaining, but standing in this crowd of people only reminded her of how alone she truly was. Sliding into the seat and directing the driver back to her hotel, Elena made her way back to her room with a sad expression and a wilting appearance.

Elena kicked off her ridiculous heels the second she walked in and headed up to the bedroom area in order to change into sweats, but was instead interrupted by the violent ringing of her cell phone. Grabbing for it drunkenly, she realized it was her parents who were trying to reach her. Oh, right. Them. Elena attempted to sober herself up as much as possible in five seconds and answered, once again being a complete idiot.

"Hello?" she mumbled, sliding down to lean her back against the bed, her body facing the open living area.

"Happy Birthday!" Her parents must have been on the speakerphone. "How's our little twenty-four year old?" Her father laughed.

Elena scoffed. "Dad, isn't it a little weird to refer to your twenty-four year old daughter as 'little?'"

"You're still a hell of a lot younger than me, baby doll." Elena smiled sadly, hearing his nickname for her.

"You sound sad, sweetheart." Her mother asked hesitatingly. "Is everything all right?"

"Oh, no. I'm just tired. You guys know it's like one in the morning here, right?" Elena inquired.

She heard their gasps on the other end of the line as they both registered the time difference. Like parent, like child, Elena thought. "Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. We completely forgot!"

"Don't worry about it, Mom. You didn't wake me. I was up."

"Well, can you at least tell us how you celebrated your big day? I know you're not supposed to talk about anything but…"

Elena took in a deep breath, looking around the empty room far away from the big fancy cottage in the Alps. "Um, yeah, that's fine. It shouldn't be a problem. I, uh…" Elena paused, biting her lip. "They woke me up with a cake, the girls that is, and, um, we went to the nearby lake together. They all signed a card." Elena's breath grew shaky, recounting the faux tale. "Right now, they're all playing board games in the den."

"Oh, don't you lie to me," her dad admonished. Elena's breath caught, wondering how he possibly could have known when he continued his statement. "We both know somebody participated in some birthday shots."

Elena let out a choked laugh. "You caught me, Dad. But just one." She attempted to change topics. "So how's everything at home?"

"Oh, the same old, same old. Nothing new to report. Nothing you'd be interested in anyways," her mother added. "Your dad's still working hard. I'm still in all of my committees."

"That's good," Elena replied. "You have to keep aging minds busy so they don't rot."

"I'm only letting that one slide for your birthday, Lena." Her dad chortled.

Elena knew her next question wasn't going to lead to any positive news, but she knew she'd have to ask it anyways. "And Jeremy? Have you visited him lately?"

The line went practically silent, just an awkward cough from her father. "Hello?" Elena asked. "What is it? Is he okay?! Did something happen?" She grew more panicked as each second ticked by.

"No, Elena, he's fine," her father reassured. "It's just…"

"It's her birthday, Grayson," Miranda scolded quietly, as though Elena couldn't hear her. "It can wait."

"Um, no it can't, Mom," Elena snapped. "You can't just not tell me. What's going on with him?"

Miranda took a deep breath before replying. "It's nothing major. It's just that… Jeremy will be moving into a long-term care facility next week." Her mother gave her a moment to absorb the blow and then continued. "But it's a wonderful facility. Both your father and I have visited. He'll have his own room, which he's very excited to decorate. They're even allowing him to hang up some of his artwork-"

"Mom, I have to go," Elena cut her off. If she thought the guilt that had appeared with lying to her parents was bad, she was far from prepared from the guilt that hit her now. Her heart was beating out of her chest and her throat felt like it was closing in on her.

"Elena," Miranda murmured. "Please. It's all going to be alright-" Elena hung up, the telltale signs of crying starting to appear. She couldn't hear it anymore. She threw her phone to the side and stared through the wooden slats of the platform her bed was on. It was officially the worst birthday ever.

But suddenly, her ears were filled with the sounds of loud, furious knocking. _Who in the hell would be coming to see her at one in the morning?_ Was this some other hotel perk? But before she could even stand, her door shot open and in walked in…

Damon. Well, an incredibly disheveled and exhausted looking Damon, who for some unknown reason was wearing a full suit. "No, no, no, no, no," Elena moaned, placing her head in her hands. "How the hell did you get in here?!"

Damon raised his hand, not really showing any sort of emotion in his eyes other than fatigue. In his left, he was holding a key card.

Elena balked. "Obviously, you have a key. I'm asking how you got into my goddamn room. Don't hotels usually have a policy on that?"

"I told them you were my cousin who had extreme bipolar disorder and that you'd run away from home," he replied solemnly. When Elena gave him another dubious look, he continued. "I used my card with my actual name on it. They would have believed anything I said."

"Elena, I have paid my driver almost double his salary just to get the city you went to. I've been in every hotel in this god damn town, asking for your name." Elena shook her head. He shouldn't have come in. She shouldn't be here. None of this should have happened.

"I was worried about you." At those words, she broke. The tears that had building for hours and hours began to pour out of her eyes and she let out a choked sob. She'd closed her eyes but she heard him as he came up the wooden stairs and crossed to her side, sliding down next to her. She heard him take off his suit jacket and place it on the bed along with his belongings and then kick his shoes in front of him. Finally, she felt his warm arms wrap around her, pulling him into her chest, but the part of her telling her to push him away was overshadowed by the much larger part of her that was just happy she was no longer alone.

"Elena," he murmured.

"No!" she cried. "I can't talk about that right now! I can't. That's why I left!"

He sighed, gripping her a bit more tightly. "We're not going to talk about that right now. We can deal with it later. I just want to know what happened tonight."

Elena let out a shaky breath, the sobs still coming in heavy doses. "I wanted to get away so I came here and I found the most expensive hotel I could and I bought a ton of stuff and I drank… a lot." She paused, wondering if he would react, but he didn't even flinch. Elena mentally cursed her stupidity, realizing it was pretty obvious how wasted she was. "I went to this huge party and made out with some guy and it sucked really bad so I came back here and…" She couldn't finish that part of her sentence. The phone call from her parents and the connotations that came along with it were much too complicated and personal to explain right this second. Besides, right now, all she wanted to do was cry.

Damon just sat there with her while she did. He smoothed her hair down and ran his warm hands down her arms. She cried for her stupid decisions, for this awful trip, for every horrible thing that had occurred at the Originals' house. She cried for her parents and her brother and all of the mistakes she'd made to get herself to this uncomfortable floor with this enigmatic man. They were there for almost half an hour, her slowly decreasing sobs and his slow breaths, attempting to calm her down. Finally, her sobs turned to sniffles and her tears went dry. Her breaths evened out to match his, the rise and fall of his chest equal to her own.

"Was it that giant one on la Place Bellecour?" Damon asked after the room had gone silent.

"Um, yeah." Elena awkwardly pushed herself up so she was no longer leaning on him, but she maintained contact through their touching shoulders. "How do you know about it?"

"I went once with the guys a few years back." He let out an exhale. "You're right. It does suck. It's like an oversized and overrated frat party." Elena let out a small giggle.

"I thought it would be so much fun," she spoke sadly. "But I was just standing there, alone, drinking some awful combination of someone's liquor cabinet and… I used to do it all the time. I was able to show up at any party by myself and have the best time out of anybody in there, but I couldn't do it tonight. I felt like an idiot."

Damon smirked, looking at her in a teasing manner. "Elena Gilbert? Party girl? Who would have thunk it?"

She laughed again. "I was infamous for it back in the day. Well, in high school." Elena recognized that she had a choice. She could continue to talk, let Damon in just a little more, or she could shut up immediately. Elena wasn't sure if it was her comfort with the man sitting next to her or if it was the alcohol talking, but she decided to continue on. "My parents sent me to this all-girls boarding school in the next state and I just lost it. I partied with the best of them, drinking and drugs and all of the above. Well," she hiccupped. "Except for the sex part. A bit hard to accomplish with no guys." She heard Damon's light smirk. "But then, my senior year, I had nothing to show for it. Shitty grades, very few extracurriculars I could actually report… So…" she paused, mentally preparing herself to share the next bit of shameful information. "I ran crying back to my parents. Having to tell them there was no chance in hell I was getting into a college was awful. I had to get my daddy to pull strings at his alma mater and the only reason I got in was purely on my last name." The disgust in her tone was practically tangible.

Elena sniffled. "I was so embarrassed of myself. I felt like such a failure. I didn't deserve to go there. It was far too nice of a school. I was in classes with people in the top ten percent of my class…. So I cut it all out. The second I stepped in my dorm, I didn't drink, didn't go to any parties. I didn't even go on a date with a guy, not that I'd ever been on one before." Elena shook her head, able to see the slight cock of Damon's eyebrow in her peripheral. "I worked my absolute ass off for four years and discovered that I was actually smarter than I thought." She paused, zoning out for a second and reminiscing on her college years. Even if they hadn't been spent in the stereotypical way, she'd still enjoyed them.

"How'd you get into writing?" Damon asked, interrupting her daydreaming.

"Oh," Elena shifted in her position. "I took a writing class with an English teacher that actually cared about me. He told me how much I sucked in the beginning, but was willing to work with me. Besides, I'd always kept a journal, no matter where I was in my life. Writing had become second nature to me. I'd just never considered a career in it."

"Well, I'm glad you did," Damon replied after a few moments of silence. "It would have been a waste of a really great writer if you hadn't."

Elena felt her chest tighten as her mind went back to the ever-daunting book issues. She physically shook her head as if trying to force the thoughts out of her mind. She stared ahead, letting the silence fill the room for a moment before deciding that neither should have to have their minds focused on that not-so-fortunate aspect of both of their lives.

"Why are you so dressed up?" Elena asked, turning to look at him. She hadn't seen him in a suit since they'd been back in LA. Although he did look completely wrecked from his day, she noted how well the suit fit him and the fact that regardless of fatigue, he was still ridiculously handsome. In fact, her breath caught once her dumb girlish hormones registered just how close his face was to hers. Of course, she was reminded of the fact that she was sure she looked like death warmed over and her face didn't even deserve to be in the same _room_ as his.

"I, uh…" Once again, Elena had caught Damon in a vulnerable moment. She noticed the faintest of blushes hit his chiseled cheeks and his gaze attempting to look anywhere but her. "Once I found you, I was going to take you to dinner for your birthday." He paused, as though his statement was the most humiliating thing he could have possibly said. "I just didn't realize it was going to take me this long to find you."

"Oh," Elena bit her lip, feeling the strange urge to start crying again. There he was again: sweet Damon. Way, way too sweet Damon. His appearances were rare and short, but when they came, they nearly knocked the wind out of her. "I'm sorry you got all dressed up for nothing" was the only reply she could fathom and it was as lame out loud as it had been in her head.

"It's fine," he replied, finally looking back on her. "But I guess I should give you your gift now." Elena gasped. So apparently sweet Damon was planning on staying for a little while.

"Damon, you didn't have to get me a gift." This was the typical polite phrase one offered up when the gift giving was generous, but this time, Elena really meant it. Damon hadn't been in control of all that the media had said about her. And really, the money she'd been spending all day was his first… She watched as he reached up behind him to grab the small box he'd placed on the bed.

"_This_ is another reason I was late. There are no good jewelry stores in the area we're staying so I thought I'd wait until I got here." Elena let out another gasp at the red and gold box he handed her. It couldn't be… Elena opened the box and checked the inside lid. Yep, it was Cartier, too. But Elena really almost lost it when she looked at the beautiful gold creation sitting in the red velvet.

"Damon." She let out a half giggle, half sigh, and buried her face in his shoulder for a moment, her brain trying to fully grasp the coincidence that had just occurred.

"Do you not like jewelry?" His tone was panicked. "I should have asked. I thought about calling your parents and seeing what you liked, but I just went with the jewelry. I can return it if you-"

Elena lifted her head back up, grabbing onto his chin and holding his head in place so he was forced to stop speaking and stare at her. "Damon! Look at my necklace." She watched his eyes hesitatingly roll down to the gold chain that was on her chest. Her tone grew softer as she saw the recognition in his eyes and she let out a light giggle again. "You bought me the matching earrings of the necklace I just bought myself today." Damon's curious expression turned into a soft smile as she turned her head to face out and dropped her hand, another laugh escaping her lips in her amazement. There had to be a million different pairs of earrings in that store and he had picked the ones that perfectly matched her taste. She shook her head lightly and turned to look back at him, but noticed his expression was back on her face… her lips to be exact.

Elena let out a shuddering breath, but this time, it wasn't because of her crying. The room was filled with the same tension that had filled hers the night he'd come in all those months ago. But the nature was incredibly different. Neither was furious with the other. They hadn't spent the past twenty minutes screaming. Whatever desire was between the two in this moment wasn't marred or triggered by their anger or hatred. It was far more pure in its motives. If either wanted the other, it was because they truly did. And _that_ was more nerve wracking than any of the other experiences she'd had there.

She watched as Damon did a double-check with his eyes flashing up to hers before he slowly began to lean in. Elena licked her lips in preparation for it, fully prepared to give in to whatever it was that was between them, but when he came only a hair's breadth from her face, she whipped her head away, taking a deep breath to calm herself down. It wasn't right. She was drunk and he was exhausted. She'd just made out with a random stranger only hours ago. Her common sense kicked in as she realized it was also incredibly stupid to kiss your boss the day before he's going to let you go.

They stayed in silence for a few minutes, each not daring to make eye contact quite yet. "Are we going home?" Elena inquired, breaking the talking moratorium.

Damon let out a sigh, running his hands through his hair. "Tomorrow, yes. Tonight, no."

Elena gulped, shaking her head. "You're staying here, right?" Damon turned to look at her with a curious expression. "I'm sorry," Elena scoffed. "It's dumb of me. I just… Is it ridiculously girly and clingy of me to not want to sleep alone tonight?"

She watched Damon's eyes as he considered what she'd just said. She could almost see him make that decision, the same one she'd made only moments earlier. Tonight they were going to leave behind the job and the book and his parents and the media and expectations and all of the other consequences. Those would be there in the morning. For now, they were just a boy and a girl. One was drunk and lonely and the other exhausted and distressed.

"Yeah, of course."

* * *

Elena awoke the next morning to some light shaking on her shoulder from behind. Warm breath hit her ear as Damon gently told her to wake up. Immediately, her senses noticed the lack of warmth and safety that came with him pulling away from her and getting out of the bed. Groggily, she sat up, feeling like absolute shit.

"If you get up, I promise coffee," he shouted from the bathroom.

Elena's eyes widened as much as they could in their pained state. "Coffee good," she mumbled, stretching herself but groaning as she felt the stiffness shoot through her joints.

She must have sat staring at the wall for a good twenty minutes before Damon emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered, but wearing the now wrinkly suit from the day before. She smiled lightly, remembering his comment from early that morning when he'd said he'd forgotten to pack anything. She'd stopped laughing at his idiocy when she realized that meant the only thing he was sleeping in was his underwear.

Awkwardly, she maneuvered around him, grabbing her bag and toting it into the bathroom so she could freshen up. Glancing at herself in the mirror, she had to stifle a groan. She looked like the same shit she felt. Her heavy eye makeup from the night before had turned into raccoon eyes and the ratty sweats she'd packed were meant for nobody else's eyes but her own. She hopped into the shower, hoping the hot water would wash away the sins of the previous day. Elena had never experienced the forgetfulness that hangovers typically brought, but she was grateful for it today. Sure, there were parts of the day before she wanted to forget, but there was one very important one that she always wanted to remember.

She threw on her simple black skinny jeans and used the same white t-shirt from the day before to go under her beige trench coat. She slid on her leopard print loafers and adjusted a bright blue scarf around her neck. She didn't have the energy to do much with her hair or makeup so she threw the now-wet hair into a tight bun on top of her head and just dabbed on some mascara and lip-gloss, hoping the Greek god on the other side of the wall wouldn't be _too_ repelled by her appearance.

Elena walked back into the bedroom, looking down from the balcony and seeing Damon messing on his phone in the downstairs area. She hurriedly packed her bag back up with her belongings and after doing a quick check of the room, descended the stairs as quickly as her pained body would take her. Damon smiled at her once she reached his level. "Got everything?"

"Yep," she replied. "Now how about that coffee?"

* * *

Elena moaned as she took her first real gulp of the coffee walking down Lyon's downtown streets. Damon laughed. "Alright, if that's your reaction to the coffee, I can't wait to see your reaction to the croissant." Elena bit her lip, a bit embarrassed by her dramatics, but continued onwards with him, letting the warm cup heat up her freezing hands. It was gorgeous out, the sun filling the sky, but it was even colder than the previous day so Elena was grateful for her warmer clothes.

"Isn't the French thing to do to sit at a café?" Elena jested.

"Yes, but I have a far better spot for us to eat." Damon had escorted her to a boulangerie a few blocks away from the hotel, claiming it was the best in the city and Elena had yet to make any complaints. The place had been incredibly small and unassuming, but as Damon rattled away in French (his third language), Elena had lost herself in the mouth-watering scent of the bread. She was now carrying a bag filled with whatever Damon had ordered for her as they headed towards what appeared to be the bridge and waterfront.

"Let me help you," Damon suggested as they reached the riverside. The area next to the river was for pedestrians only, a large sidewalk dotted with benches and the occasional playground. There were stairs a little ways over, but they'd come to it at a point where there was only a wall that dropped down. Damon easily jumped but offered his hand to allow her to have a steady object to hold on to. He spotted a bench and led her to it.

Elena couldn't believe the incredible view. Although it was just a river, their position in between two of the main bridges and their view of the massive hill ahead, the Basilica of Notre Dame de Fourvière standing formidably at the top, was indescribable. Elena had admired the Saône every time she'd crossed it going over the bridge, but sitting there now, she was truly able to appreciate it.

Damon interrupted her gazing, waving the hot pastry underneath her nose and she suddenly registered how famished she was. She'd barely eaten yesterday, her stomach too upset, but biting into the croissant and having the chocolate center hit her taste buds, she was practically required to let out another embarrassing noise indicating her approval.

"God damn, that's good," Elena mumbled and she heard Damon laugh in agreement. She turned her head to face him, watching him watch the water. She noted his strong jaw as he swallowed some more of his coffee and his hands that clasped around the cup. There were countless people walking across the sidewalk in front of her, people with stories and lives that were probably incredibly compelling and interesting, but her gaze was only focused on one. The man sitting next to her who had driven to Lyon in a tux, bought her a pair of earrings that perfectly matched the necklace she already owned, had searched high and low for her in every hotel in the city, had held her while she cried over things he didn't know about and had wrapped her tightly in his arms while they slept. _This_ was the man with the most compelling tale. _This_ was the man she wanted to know the most about. In fact, she felt her chest clench as she realized she'd never get to hear that whole story. The secrets she was supposed to be telling in his book would be forgotten when she packed up her things and went home. She'd never truly understand him and that made her crave him all the more.

Elena flashed back to a moment from the previous night. Well, make that early that morning. After Damon had agreed to stay the night, they'd rested on the floor for a little while longer, both claiming they were trying to work up the energy to move. Elena had found herself lying with her head in his lap as he attempted to untangle the now utterly tangled hair on her head with his fingers.

There'd been some comfortable silence as Elena's thoughts had flashed through everything they'd been through together and she'd gone back to that night. Her virginity and lack of experience had never been something she was particularly proud of. She was fairly sure that if her high school had been co-ed, she would have lost it a long time ago. She remembered how hurt she'd felt as he'd wielded the information like an insult and all of her insecurities had come rushing back. Although on the surface, Elena knew it had honestly been her decision to never sleep with anybody this far along in her life, deep down she held insecurities about it, wondering if whenever it did happen that it would never be special or perfect because she was neither of those things.

But then she remembered his reaction afterwards, how his voice had grown weaker and his tone more desperate. There'd been a moment where he'd stopped using it to offend and instead used it to express how much more appealing it made her. The words "I would be your first" rang in her head.

"You still would, wouldn't you?" Elena whispered, staring up into his blue eyes.

Damon cocked his eyebrow, his eyes clouded in confusion. "Would what?"

"You would still sleep with me… even though it would be my first time." Elena knew her statement would typically have made her blush, but the alcohol made it much easier to state.

She watched as recognition washed over Damon's face. She didn't need an answer. His face said it all.

Her flashback was interrupted when she realized that Damon had spoken. "I'm sorry. Got sidetracked there."

He smiled. "It's fine. I just said you look right here."

Elena cocked her head, her eyebrows furrowing. "What do you mean?" She laughed nervously.

Damon sighed, as though regretting saying it in the first place. "You just… you look like you belong here."

Elena wasn't quite sure what he meant by his statement. Did he mean here, in this beautiful city, surrounded by wonderful food and interesting people? Did he mean in her job, working as a writer for him and living with the Originals? Or, most nerve wracking of all, did he mean _with_ _him_, sitting on this bench and eating breakfast? To the others around them, did they look like a couple, like they were in love or meant to be?

Elena shook her head sadly. Although she wasn't completely sure of the meaning of his question, the answer was the same for all three. "You and I both know that I don't."

**Ugh, feelz. Is that okay? Am I allowed to have feelz for the characters I (partially) write? Well, I do. :p**

**So, first and foremost, the location. About three summers ago, I participated in an exchange program where I was able to stay in Lyon for two weeks and it was incredible. Being able to write about it and be geographically accurate with all of the locations was so much fun for me. I've been to all of the places I mentioned (except for the fancy hotel, of course) and it just made writing all the more easy for me when I was able to physically picture D&E in these locations. It is a beautiful city and if you have been and I stated something incorrectly, please let me know in the reviews.**

**Secondly, Elena. This chapter was basically a character study for the girl and I loved it. I've already crafted the backstories for these characters in my heads so being able to help you all as readers understand the characters more is so wonderful. I know many of you have expressed in the reviews that you aren't happy with Elena, and I hope this chapter allows you to grow to like her even the slightest bit more. I love her and I wish you all could, too.**

**Thirdly, Damon. I got to write romance! That was definitely my favorite part/scene to write. From Damon showing up to her hotel room on, I just had the dopiest grin on my face. This is definitely a major step forward when it comes to their relationship so for those of you wondering when the heck I would move forward with that... well, here it comes.**

**Alright, so I guess here's the part where I let go of this chapter and let you all respond. Feel free to crush my hopes with this one and tell me my love affair with this chapter is terribly misguided. Don't feel like you have to lie just because of what I said above. I'm just letting you know where I am as an author and, again, hoping you all can feel the same way. But beyond that, let me know if you liked the bit of a breather this chapter provided, letting go of the drama that the "Original issue" provides. Did you enjoy getting to know more about Elena and what's going on in her mind? Was anyone else happy with Damon's arrival? I'll hopefully be writing some of Damon's point of view when it comes to what went down this chapter in the next so you can look forward to that. What are your theories for what happens when they come back to the house? And finally, what has been your favorite chapter/scene so far? (Note: doesn't have to be this one. Just curious)**

**Once again, I do hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I do and did. I love you all regardless and I will update soon.**

**love love love :)**


	12. Chapter 12: Cinder and Smoke

**Oh, hi? Remember me? Probably not. We have a lot to talk about this chapter so let's get started. **

**I will begin by quasi-apologizing for the delay of this chapter being updated. I say quasi because my reasons were legitimate. I moved into college (for the first time might I add) a week ago and therefore have been a) incredibly emotionally busy and b) just plain busy. I've had a million and a half meetings to go to along with classes, and it just left absolutely no time to write a chapter. Although I do feel bad about this, I will not apologize for doing so. As a human being, I needed to take a step away from the Internet and focus on myself and my well being. If you're not happy with that, I suggest you leave.**

**This in turn leads me to discussing updates. The whole every Sunday thing just isn't reasonable any longer. College is only going to get busier and I need to be more invested in that than in this. This story isn't going anywhere, believe me, but the updates will not be as regular or constant as they once were. If that's your cue to leave, take it. I severely underestimated how much college was going to consume my life and for that, I do apologize. I still love writing this story and I will finish it, but the time span between chapters will most definitely be extended.**

**On to the second topic which is the so-called "copy cat" I've been informed of. I will state that I have yet to read the story so I have no clue how closely it follows my own, but I did read the author's notes and I'm going to believe her when she says she was not intending to copy YBR. Even if she _was_ copying my fic word for word, there really isn't much I could do or complain about. By posting my story online for all to see, I'm opening myself up to anyone using this story as they please. It's just the good that comes with the bad. If her story is really well-written, she will earn the reviews and respect she deserves. But it's not my place to be upset or hurt.**

**And finally, this chapter. Can we say omgintense?! Stuff is about to go down. I wanted to attempt to help you guys get over the long hiatus between chapters by giving you THE LONGEST CHAPTER YET and lots and lots of stuff to be thinking about. If nothing shocks you in this chapter, I haven't done my job properly.**

**Okay, okay. I'll shut up now (sorry: being away for a long time means lots to discuss) and let you read.**

* * *

Chapter 12: Cinder and Smoke

_Give me your hand  
And take what you will tonight, I'll give it as fast  
And high as the flame will rise  
Cinder and smoke_

Elena and Damon arrived back at the house late that afternoon. The limo ride home had been fairly silent, each lost in his and her own thoughts. Going back to the house signified the end of the fantasy. Facing both reality and the consequences of their situation would not be a pleasant experience, but it had to be done.

Once they entered the foyer, Elena thought she would immediately be whisked into Damon's office so that they could officially nix the contract and she could be let go. But instead, Damon gave her a half-smile and headed up the stairs on his own. Elena waited for a moment, noting that the house seemed empty. It was eerily silent and there wasn't an Original to be seen. Had the visit from the elder Salvatores been that bad for everyone?

Elena was shaken out of her observations by the faint shutting of a door upstairs. She assumed that Damon had just gone straight to his room, so she guessed that the big talk would be happening later. The tension in her shoulders decreased a bit at that realization. Although the day before had technically been a vacation, she felt like she needed a vacation from the vacation.

She carried the bag up to her room and plopped down on the bed, deciding she should probably check her computer for any messages. Pulling her laptop out, she felt the pang of the reminder of Victoria, and how pissed she'd be when she found out the latest developments. Elena paused, taking a deep breath in order to calm herself down. This was a good thing. She'd no longer have to sell out the Originals. She could go home, earn an honest living, and see her friends and family again. So why was she so distressed over the concept of leaving?

Elena plugged in her headphones and opened up her music, determined to blast the thoughts away from her head. She was ready to move on, regardless of that niggling dissent in the back of her mind. Moving forward was her only option.

* * *

Damon stood outside of her door, stuck in his own frustration. Why was it so hard to just walk in there and invite her to dinner? It was as if he couldn't fathom speaking to her, which was just ridiculous. He'd spoken to her the entire past day, very comfortably in fact. There was no reason for him to be pacing back and forth, reaching his hand out to touch the doorknob and then yanking it back just as quickly. Yet there he was, acting like a schoolboy with a crush on his peer.

The night before had been… well, if he'd been able to explain it, he wouldn't be having so much difficulty with the situation. When he'd heard that Elena had bolted off, seeming mentally unstable, he'd followed without hesitation. There was no questioning himself as he went from hotel to hotel in Lyon, using every advantage his celebrity gave him in order to find out exactly where she was. There was no questioning when he'd bought her that necklace that cost far more than any other gift he'd bought for a woman. Hell, there wasn't even questioning as to why he was doing it all in a tux.

As he'd gone up the elevator towards her room after finally locating her, he'd finally started to ask himself why in the hell he'd put so much effort into this. Sure, his parents had treated her like dirt and a part of him felt guilty, but his parents treated everyone like dirt. There was no reason to be putting in all this work for her, regardless of the fact that it was her birthday. Damon Salvatore didn't do effort when it came to relationships. And why the fuck was he using the word relationship?

But when he'd walked into that room, completely exhausted and worn down, it clicked. She'd been sitting up in the loft, looking so heart wrenchingly broken, that he'd actually felt his chest tighten in pain. She was lost. He was lost. Why couldn't they be that way together? When she'd started to cry, he ran towards her, without a thought to do otherwise. He was fairly sure that nothing felt more comfortable or right than wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into him.

What scared him most was how suddenly all of this had come on. Sure, there had been the occasional flirting and obviously the terrible, awful night where the concept had come into full light. But he'd refused to consider the concept of actually caring for Elena in a way that was anything but platonic. And now…

He'd felt the rush of possessive anger that had coursed through him at the mention that she'd made out with some dick at the masquerade. He'd actually considered going back there and kicking his ass, as unreasonable as the concept was. He'd sat through her long period of cries, comforting her in ways he'd only seen in movies. He had no recall for this sort of thing. It was a completely brand new experience, but everything had seemingly fallen into place. Well, as much as a sobbing woman and a broken man could.

He'd been surprised more than once that night. He'd encountered very few virgins in his lifetime, but he would be hard pressed to remember one who was also a "party girl." The two rarely came hand in hand. For once, Damon had actually been thoroughly interested when a woman talked about her past. He hadn't zoned out like he typically did, just contemplating ways to get into her pants. He'd listened. He sensed she wasn't giving him all of the details, but he would take what he could get.

He'd been surprised by how affecting her reaction to his gift would be. Although he'd appreciated her body countless times, and the cleavage that sad excuse for a dress had caused was no exception, he'd never truly regarded the beauty in her face. Her breathtaking smile, the small dimple in her cheek, the way her eyes lit up.

Damon had to close his eyes as he remembered what his reaction had been. He'd wanted to kiss her. He'd pushed down the desire to want to fuck her for weeks, but the desire to just kiss her had never surfaced. He'd never been kissing's biggest fan. It had always just been a means to an end. But at that moment, it was the only thing he wanted to do. Hell, he wasn't even planning on making out with her. He just wanted to know what it would be like.

But she'd pulled away for whatever reason and a dumb part of him had felt like crap when it had happened. For Damon to feel anything beyond attracted was one thing, but for it to be one-sided a whole other. He'd wanted to get out as soon as he could, possibly drink himself into a good, long sleep far away from her room, but then she'd invited him to stay. Suddenly, the desire to run was gone. He knew the consequences of that decision, but he was tired of the consequences. And tasting what that fantasy had allowed in Lyon made him crave it all the more. And that's why he'd done what he'd just done.

"Elena." He knocked firmly on the door.

They'd arrived back a few hours earlier, but she was still in her outfit from earlier. She looked as though she'd been asleep. Damon ignored the way her black jeans fit her legs and focused back on the mission at hand. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

"Oh, no." Elena smiled. "I'd been awake for a bit. Was just about to get in the shower. What's up?" He watched as her smile faded and a bit of fear entered her brown eyes. "Do we need to talk?" She asked somberly.

"Yes, we do." Damon coughed awkwardly. "Actually, we all do."

Elena cocked her head. "All?" She repeated.

Damon exhaled, ready to bite the bullet. "Elena, would you come to dinner with us? All of us?" He clarified.

Elena's lips parted a bit in surprise. He tried to push back the memory of how they'd done the same thing when he'd leaned in to kiss her the night before, but he was terribly unsuccessful. "Oh, yeah. I guess." Elena straightened a bit. "I mean, of course. That would be wonderful."

Damon smiled tightly. "Perfect. I will pick you up at five."

Elena smirked. "Damon, we live in the same house."

"Oh, right." If the wall hadn't been covered in priceless art, Damon would have slammed his head against it. "Well, we will see you in the foyer at five."

"Okay." Elena paused, giving him a look that said a lot of heavy things. "Damon, is there anything else we need to discuss?"

He knew what she was laying on the table. He could talk about that night. He could talk about his parents. And for a moment, he considered it. But his inner coward won out and instead, he just shook his head. "Nope."

He was about to turn away when she pulled him back with her lilting voice. "Damon. Why are we eating so early? Most of you all are barely _awake_ by five."

Damon chuckled. "Well, as much as I'm not terribly interested in it… It's Halloween. We're hosting a party here."

"Ahh, right." Elena nodded. "Well, I'll be ready at five then."

* * *

Elena was pulling up her neutral colored pleated skirt when she heard a knock at her door. She smirked, biting her lip. "Damon, I told you that you didn't have to pick me up," she teased as she reached for the handle. "I'm a big girl." But when she opened the door, she was met with a far more feminine face… Lexi's.

"Oh, I'm sorry." The blonde looked effortlessly put together in her tight dress and heels, but her expression looked anything but. She was carrying a large shopping bag without labels so Elena wasn't exactly sure where it had come from. "It's just me."

"Um, it's fine." This was the first time Elena had been faced with an Original since the dinner when she hadn't been swigging a beer and acting like an asylum patient. "Come on in."

Lexi walked into the room and played with the handle on the bag. "What's up?" Elena asked, in as calm a voice as possible.

"I came to apologize," Lexi blurted, as though the words had been playing on her lips since she'd decided to come. "For what happened with Damon's parents."

Although Elena knew what she was talking about, she chose to play dumb instead. "It wasn't your fault," Elena replied. "His parents kind of suck."

Lexi let out a scoff. "Please. They suck so bad… they're like the bottom feeders on a tank full of suck."

Elena bit back a smile. "I didn't know suck was a noun."

Lexi blushed. "Well, in this case… it is."

Elena regarded her again, expecting her to continue and she did. "I need to apologize for not standing up for you. I shouldn't have just sat there like I did. It wasn't fair to you and I'm very sorry."

Elena nodded her head, feeling surprisingly forgiving. She cleared her throat. "Why didn't you?" Elena inquired. "If I may ask."

Elena's question seemed to make Lexi even more nervous, but she continued anyways. "I… Provoking the Salvatores' can lead to very negative consequences." She faltered, obviously unsure how to continue on. "They… We don't like to tell them what they can or cannot do, mostly because they typically ignore us regardless. It's not an excuse, Elena, but…" She then lowered her voice a small amount, as though conveying a secret. "It's not my story to tell. I'm sorry. I wish I could make you understand, although understanding doesn't excuse our behavior. But it would help."

"Whose story is it?" Elena asked pleadingly.

Lexi shook her head looking down. "You know whose it is."

And Elena did. In fact, she wasn't entirely sure why she'd even asked.

Lexi cleared her throat. "I hope tonight's dinner will clear it up a bit more, but I wish that one day you'll forgive me for the part I played in the other evening."

Elena let out a breath, placing a small smile on her face. "You don't have to worry about it. It's already done." Elena wasn't entirely sure what made her feel so obligated to forgive, but something deep inside compelled her to do so. The huge smile that lit up Lexi's face soon afterwards helped as well.

"Thank you, Elena. Really." She paused, her smile turning into something a bit more mischievous. "You're just going to have to forgive me for one more thing." Elena's eyebrows crinkled, confused by the remark and also a bit afraid. "Caroline made me bring you this, and I have no doubt she's going to want to see it on." Lexi held the large bag towards Elena and she took it hesitatingly, no clue as to what could be inside.

She placed the bag on the fluffy comforter and pulled out a large box… labeled with the same store name as the one Caroline had dragged her to a few days earlier. And, as expected, Elena pulled out something meant for the bedroom: a bright white corset top and matching lacy short shorts. Pulling out the final piece of material, she was shocked to discover a pair of fluffy white wings.

"She refers to you as the angel of this house," Lexi smirked.

Elena balked, turning towards Lexi to hold up the material. "Is she serious?! This is lingerie, not a Halloween costume!"

Lexi let out a genuine laugh. "Honey, in this house, there is no difference." Elena chuckled, shaking her head back and forth at the offending garment. The fact that she was even holding it was shocking.

"I guess this is Caroline's form of an apology," Elena murmured. Although the price tag had been taken off, Elena guessed that with the luxurious fabric and elaborate boning in the bustier, it had to be upwards of six or seven hundred dollars.

"Well," Lexi replied, a soft smile on her face. "It wouldn't be the Caroline we all know and love if it wasn't something like this."

Elena bit her lip, a wave of melancholia hitting her at the idea that tonight was going to be goodbye. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

* * *

Damon had spent a good portion of his evening making his plans for the night. He was going to go have a good time at this party, regardless of Elena and all of the emotional turmoil she was causing him. It was a childish idea, but he'd been contemplating exactly how tonight would be just like the good old days. Although he'd never been particularly fond of Halloween (costumes were _not_ his thing), the parties they hosted had always been stellar and he was more than ready to remind himself of what he'd come here for. This vacation was rapidly coming to an end and he wanted to cherish every moment he could before it was over.

But all of his plans to get wasted and find a hot girl were forgotten when Elena had come down the stairs. Her outfit was fairly simple compared to the rest of the girls, but he still felt that tug in his chest that was now almost expected every time he saw her. Her skirt was the longest of the other women, but it still couldn't hide her long, tan legs that were perched on blue platform heels. She'd tucked a loose fitting white tank top into the skirt and resting in her cleavage was a blue stone pendant necklace. Damon gulped, his eyes completely transfixed on her. A small part of him registered in his peripheral that his friends were all sharing knowing looks, but he really didn't care. He didn't want to waste his eyes on anything else.

Now at the restaurant, he was able to do the same. She'd been purposefully seated across from him so that this dinner could feel as official as possible. They'd already ordered their drinks, and Elena had audibly gasped when Damon had cut her off to order her a glass of Pinot Noir. After the waiter had left, she'd regarded him quizzically, waiting for his explanation, but he gave none, instead going back to his own menu.

But they'd wasted enough time and as they sat waiting for their food, Damon cleared his throat and then clinked his glass so that the other conversations at the table would stop. He looked at Elena who was now fidgeting with her napkin and biting her lip. Damon didn't want to make her suffer any longer.

"Elena, obviously earlier this week, new information was brought to light." He had to hold back a smile at how official he sounded. It was like a business meeting. "First of all, I and the rest of the group would like to apologize for how horrendously my parents treated you…" He faltered, the words taking some effort to produce. "And how we did not protect you from that. Myself especially." Both he and Elena looked down the table to see the sympathetic and remorse-filled gazes of the other Originals.

Elena nodded her head, not offering a response, but accepting the words. Damon hadn't expected anything more, but he was glad she didn't seem too horribly pissed. "However, they did explain to me what the situation is back in the US and we'd be idiots not to address it." This time, Elena's nod was far more somber. "Clearly, we can no longer write this book. It's only harmful for the both of us. This tradition of having an Original girl write a biography will from now on be discontinued."

And here came the nerve-wracking part. "Now, we have thoroughly enjoyed having you in our home. You have been a wonderful addition to our vacation and we would be sorry to see you go." Damon let out a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. "So, that is why… we're inviting you to stay for the rest of the trip."

Damon wished he could have had a camera ready for the expression that fell on Elena's face when she finally registered his words. "I'm sorry?" she stuttered, looking fairly capable of passing out.

"We, all of us, would like for you to stay here at the house until the end of the year. All of the rules will be taken away so you will no longer have to abide by the contract. You would be kept from the press so the title of Original girl would never be associated with your name. Your salary would be continued, so as to not leave you without cash flow." He felt compelled to reach his hand out to take hers, but didn't feel right doing so in front of the rest of the group. "Elena, we want you here as our _friend_."

He watched her puzzled expression take in all of the faces around him, each sporting a huge grin indicating their approval. Even Katherine had worked up a seemingly kind smile. He turned back to look at her. "You look surprised."

She balked. "You're not firing me. Of course, I'm surprised."

Damon chuckled, as did a few other members of this table. "What happened out there, it wasn't your fault, Elena. It wouldn't be fair to take it out on you."

He noticed something flash in her eyes, but it quickly went away as she realized there were nine other people desperate to hear her answer. Damon could feel his own palms growing slightly sweaty as he watched her make her decision.

But when a breathtaking smile came across her face, he grinned. "I would love to," Elena replied.

Damon heard the table burst into cheers and rapid conversation. Lexi was offering to get her in touch with some of her publishing contacts once they got back to LA. Klaus was telling her about this new bourbon he'd had imported that he was desperate to have her try. Caroline was whispering something about lace. But all he could focus on was the brunette whose gaze kept coming back to him.

* * *

When Elena closed the door to her room back at the house, she could hardly contain her enthusiasm. She had been absolutely blown away by Damon's decision. Apparently, the thing he had rushed up the stairs for earlier that day was to gather the group and ask them if they agreed. Elena hadn't realized they'd liked her that much. She'd always considered her presence to be a burden rather than a benefit, but they seemed to see otherwise.

When she'd been asked, she considered just going home. She did miss her family and her friends. But the face in front of her convinced her otherwise. He'd stared at her with a kind of hopefulness Elena had yet to see before. It was almost as if he was _desperate_ for her to stay. That look had been the thing that had surprised her the most. If there were any one in the house who would be annoyed by her, it would be Damon. She'd spent the entire night before sobbing all over him. But apparently, the whole time she'd been "pretending" to have a friendship with Damon, he'd actually been invested in it.

She'd tried to talk to him one on one after the dinner, but the near constant discussion of how the party that evening was going to go prevented her from doing so. She decided it would be best to wait until the next day.

Elena knew she had one more task before she could really begin to enjoy her "vacation." She wasn't planning on attending the party, still completely exhausted from her insane evening prior. But before she could get sucked into Netflix or take a long, hot shower, there was something waiting for her on her computer.

Yanking her laptop open, she found the document with ease. Dragging the icon over to the trashcan, she took a deep breath and dropped it in. Now sitting in that recycle bin was a document labeled "Victoria," pages upon pages of words that only incriminated the Originals. Now that Elena was saved from becoming a laughing stock as the Original girl, she could say goodbye to that horrible, secret chapter of her life. She was done playing double agent. Her conscience that had been scolding her from the beginning could finally get off her back.

As the freedom settled over her, Elena was reminded of the promise she'd made to Caroline earlier that evening. She dramatically sighed and walked back over to the box sitting in her chair. Although she'd told Caroline she wouldn't be attending that evening's festivities (and especially not in that twelve inch piece of lace), she was apparently required to show Caroline "'cause they're freaky like that." Elena laughed at the memory and slid off her clothes. She pulled the white lace corset up, tying the strings that were to be knotted in the front. She had to adjust her breasts so that they fit into the cups of the strapless piece, but doing so made her cleavage look completely exaggerated. Finally, she slid up the jewel encrusted matching shorts that were really just glorified underwear. Elena could almost feel her ass sliding out of the bottom of it. Just because she was in a good mood, she threw the wings on. Thankfully, they weren't Victoria's Secret Angel huge, but they were pretty exaggerated.

Elena walked over to the mirror and let out a disbelieving laugh. Never in her life had she worn something so obviously sexual. And she'd thought the dress from the night before had been bad. She couldn't wait to see what Caroline was wearing to this thing, given that she was even _more_ overt with her sexual appeal. But the more she stared at herself, the less ridiculous she felt. She'd obviously known that these outfits were such hot commodities because they made women look good and feel confident, but she was shocked by how much it was working its magic on her. She even spun a bit to check out her ass that was indeed stretching the limits of the delicate fabric it was swathed in. Elena caught herself actually smiling in a non-mocking manner and… _posing_. Dear God. Whenever the day did come that she'd invite a guy into her bed, she would _definitely_ have to consider wearing something akin to this.

Shaking herself out of her mini ego trip, Elena wrapped her thickest robe around her, just in case she ran into one of the other Originals on her way to Caroline's room. She would probably gain a new nickname or two if she did. She threw her cellphone into her pocket, remembering that Caroline said she would give her some new contacts as well.

Elena headed down the hall towards Caroline's room, but paused when she came to the small alcove that led to Damon's. His door was open, a very rare occurrence for him. From her position, she could see a sliver of his reflection in his mirror as he messed with the collar of his shirt. She rolled her eyes and walked towards the ajar door, knocking on the frame lightly.

"Of course. Damon Salvatore doesn't do costumes," Elena teased from her position.

Damon whipped his head around, a grin across his face. "This _is_ a costume," he snapped back quickly.

Elena scoffed. "Oh really? Please explain to me how wearing the same thing you wear every day is a costume."

Damon looked baffled. "I don't wear the same thing every day. In fact, I spend thousands of dollars a year on wardrobe so that I don't have to."

"No. You spend half of those thousands on dark shirts and half of those thousands on dark pants. Throw in the occasional loafer and dashing tux and you've got your 'wardrobe.'"

Damon considered himself for a moment in the mirror. "Eh, guess that's true But hey, it works for me, right?"

It was a typical flirtatious remark, one similar to all the others he'd thrown her way in recent months, but for some reason, it held a much more intense connotation this time. She knew it had a whole hell of a lot to do with the previous evening, but it still took her by surprise.

"Yeah, it does," Elena replied quietly, staring directly as his shirt and not him. She didn't particularly care to see what his eyes were doing right at that moment because she wasn't sure what the consequences of that would be.

Elena cleared her throat, ready to break the tension in the air. "Were you just headed down?"

"Nah. I was going to have a drink or two before I went down." Damon chuckled. "This party tends to attract the 'fratty.'" He winked.

Elena giggled. "Yeah, I guess Halloween has a tendency to do that."

Damon walked towards his drink cart that was positioned in between two comfortable chairs. "Would you like one? You know, since you can do that now."

Elena hesitated, remembering briefly that she needed to see Caroline. "Um, sure." She crossed her arms over her chest as she walked to that side of the room and perched herself on one the chairs, making sure to not get too comfortable. _Compromise_, she thought. _I'll stay for one drink, talk to Damon like I wanted to earlier, and then stop by Caroline's room to show off the outfit. Perfect._

After Damon handed her the glass of brown liquid, she took a sip only to abruptly spit it back out. "Oh my god," she choked.

Damon laughed heartily. "Yeah, that will put hair on your chest."

"Damon, I have tried every combination of hard liquor a teenager can imagine in high school. Are you sure this isn't arsenic?"

Damon laughed again. "I like it strong. That way you don't need to drink too much."

Elena shook her head, placing the glass back where it belonged, far away from her. She let some of the bitterness fade from her taste buds before clearing her throat and starting on what she'd wanted to discuss in the first place. "Damon, about tonight. I appreciate your offer, and excuse me if I'm just sounding ridiculously insecure, but… am I really wanted here?"

Damon looked at her as if she'd just debated the color of the sky. "Of course you are, Elena."

"I'm sorry," Elena replied. "I just don't get it. I mean, you've explicitly expressed that this trip is very exclusive and I've seen firsthand how deep your bond is with the rest of the Originals. I just don't see how I fit into that. As an employee, I had my role. But now, I just feel like a cling-on." She sighed, looking down at her hands in her lap. "This isn't me trying to dig for compliments. It's just a… a way out." This time, she looked up at him, the same befuddlement from before marring his features. "Damon, you don't have to feel obligated to 'take care' of me. You're not leaving me high and dry in the slightest. I have far too much money already from you. I've gained a lot of experience from this… experience." She blushed at her word flub. "I had a great time. Like you said, this wasn't either of our faults. We can both walk away from this unattached right now if you want. No hard feelings."

Elena hoped her eyes weren't conveying how she really felt. Because all that she'd just said… well, it felt wrong. She would hate to leave. She'd felt that way since she'd realized she might have to. She'd made friends, especially so in Damon. Although, she wasn't really sure their "relationship" even had a label. It was far too complicated to fall under any categories. She'd heard she had an awful poker face, but maybe the lies she'd learned to say so easily the past few months had altered that characteristic. Maybe he'd agree, send her off with a hug and a plate of cookies…

"Elena, how fucking dense can you be?" Damon balked.

Well, she wasn't expecting that reaction. "What?"

"I mean, God!" Damon shot up, slamming the glass tumbler down on the cart causing a sharp noise to bounce through the room. "Do you honestly think I would invite you to stay with us for two whole months just because I felt _obligated_?! I'm Damon Salvatore," he shouted. "I don't have to feel obligated to anybody! I do what I want, when I want because I _can_, Elena. Not because I feel some weird form of pity for you." He ran his hands through his hair, now pacing in a pattern even Elena couldn't predict. "But I do! For some ridiculous reason, I feel bad. I feel like _shit_ because I brought you into this and you don't deserve this." He whipped around, pointing at her. "Do you not want to be here?" His voice was bordering on lunacy, his actions and words shaky with his anger and confusion. "Is that it? Do _you_ want out?!"

"N-no," Elena stuttered. She could never have predicted this. This was Damon Salvatore, unhinged.

"God, I want you here!" Damon shouted, stopping her from clarifying herself. "Is that a problem? I mean, we all want you here, but… I've had fun. With you. I mean, sure we've been working, but it hasn't felt like that." He let out a bitter laugh. "Well, of course. _You_ were the one doing the work so… Goddamnit, Elena. Why am I so fucking insane right now?"

Elena got up from the chair, walking towards him and tried to grab him to halt his actions. "Hey, you're not insane." She finally managed to grip his shoulders and stop him from his irrational pacing. He still looked as though his heart was pumping blood too fast and his breaths were shallow. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure." She watched his eyes dart wildly to anywhere but her own. "Look, we're both just tired." He looked as though he was going to debate her on that but she cut him off. "I believe you, I promise. I just think we're both overemotional right now. Just take a deep breath." She felt him calm a bit beneath her fingers, fingers that were subconsciously stroking microscopic designs into his shoulders. His breath was shaky, but still followed her orders.

She smiled softly. "Thank you, Damon. Really. I'm grateful for the offer. I'd love to stay."

He let out another breath. "I just thought…" He trembled a bit, as though his body was just catching up to his outburst. "I don't know. Maybe I could write the book." Elena's eyes widened at his declaration. "I mean, I've written a movie before. It can't be that much different." Elena decided to refrain from informing him of the large difference there actually was. "I thought, if you wanted that is, you could help me." Elena cringed as she felt his anxiety start to work him up again. "You don't have to, of course. You probably just want to have fun, not work. God, I'm such-"

"Damon!" She lifted her hands to grasp his face, holding it so that he would finally lock his eyes with hers. "I think that would be amazing. I'd be happy to." Now that she could truly see into his eyes, she finally understood what people had meant when they said they saw every emotion in hers. Right now, she could see Damon's unease and insecurity battling the contentment that was fighting its way back in. She wanted to help him win that war. She didn't want him walking out of that room feeling any less than he had when she'd come in.

"Thank you," she murmured again. She barely recognized her own voice, clouded with the conglomeration of emotions she was experiencing herself. She let out a shallow breath, her next action performed without a second thought. She leaned forward, pressing her lips to his.

When the idea had popped into her head, she'd meant for it to be a calming agent. Just a simple pressing of her lips to his so that his anxiety would take a breather. But only she would be so dumb as to think a red-blooded male would calm down after a kiss. She sensed the shock of the action in the tension of his body, but felt him raise his hands slowly and lean into her lips, his hands going to rest on her shoulders.

The kiss was emotion-packed, although it lacked any of the movement or measure the kiss between her and random guy in Lyon had. In fact, neither moved to open their mouths or deepen the kiss. Instead, she just let him breathe her in and let _herself_ finally know what it would be like.

Damon pulling away hurt more than she'd expected. He settled himself only a few inches from her, his hands smoothing down her upper back. She watched his conflicted eyes go from lust to confusion. She wasn't sure what for, until she felt the pressure as his hand pressed into her back with its latest discovery.

Elena turned her head to the side, seeing as much of his wrist as her neck would allow. He'd discovered the protruding object that adorned her back through the robe. She turned back to him as he slowly moved his right hand to the tie in the front of her robe. He unknotted it so slowly Elena was fairly sure she would die before he got it all the way open. When he finally undid the rope, he slowly pushed the cloth to the side, revealing just enough of the outfit for him to realize exactly what it was she was wearing underneath of it.

"Holy shit." His voice sounded so weak and shaky that they both simultaneously lost it. She wasn't quite sure who yanked the other forward first, but both reached their hands to the other's neck, pulling each other in and slamming their lips together near violently.

This was the complete antithesis of the kiss before it. The kiss started with open mouths, their tongues like magnets finding their way towards each other. Elena's hands shot into Damon's hair, tugging at it like she'd wanted to since she'd first seen him. Damon's hands slid down from her neck and to the thick robe, shoving it to the ground just as quickly. Both let out a groan as it hit the floor, Elena from the pleasurable chill that ran through her as the air hit her exposed skin, and Damon from the brand new view.

Damon yanked their bodies even closer, their tongues and lips now taking their place in their own beautiful war. His hands slid down the lace, exploring every inch of the fabric as Elena did the same to his strong back.

_This_ had been what she'd wanted. She hadn't wanted to leave because subconsciously, she knew it would kill her to never have experienced this. She'd convinced herself her decisions were practical, like walking into his room knowingly wearing lingerie and kissing him to "calm him down" when, in fact, her body was just trying to get him in her pants. She'd played pretend friendship for so long with him that she'd completely ignored that she wanted him in a whole other way. Sure, their teeth had knocked together a few times and sure their hands were more desperate than smooth, but she would forever describe this moment as completely perfect. And it had everything to do with the flawlessly flawed man whose lips were entangled with her own.

Of course, their standing position didn't last for long. Thanks to yet again another subconscious move on Elena's part, they'd been right next to the bed and Damon practically shoved her on top of it, giving her all of two seconds to breathe before his mouth met hers again. As his tongue did glorious things to her own, his hand slid down to her exposed upper thigh. Elena knew that although she wouldn't go so far as to say she was in love with him, she was definitely in love with the way his body was pressed into hers. She felt his hand move towards her inner thigh, but, just as it had that night in her room, it ignored the one place that was desperate for it. Instead, it moved back around all the way to her ass where his strong palm groped at the flesh. Elena's hips shot up in response to the action, eliciting a groan from him as he ground his own hips back. Elena's id spoke up, declaring that if staying in the Alps with the Originals meant _this_ regularly, she was a complete imbecile for even considering declining.

But the far more mature parts of her brain spoke up real quick as she felt Damon's lips lower to her neck and his hands play with the strings on the corset. The now desperately horny side of her would hate herself forever for what she did next, but once again, reality was a bitch. It set in hard and fast and Elena took a breath before trying her best to push him away. "Wait, hold up."

Damon's eyes shot up to her own, halting in his actions completely. The previous angst in his features was completely gone, now replaced by a dazed lust she was frantic to satisfy. She took another deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I know I've never really done anything like this before, but I distinctly recall from TV shows and movies that when the girl stops… it… she is basically the worst person ever. But…" She blushed. "Too fast," she murmured, ducking her head to the side.

Damon let out a sigh as the room filled with their panting breaths. "You're not the worst person ever, Elena." Elena timidly turned her head back towards him, watching him settle back down to a more baseline state. "You're right. Way too fast."

Elena let out a slight scoff. "Too fast for me," she replied. "There's no such thing as too fast for you."

Damon didn't smile at her joke. Instead, he moved his hand up to push a stray hair out of her eyes. "With you, there is."

Elena gulped at the intensity of his words. It was almost enough to make her forget why they'd stopped in the first place. But the moment was gone almost as quickly as it came when she watched his eyes fire up in alarm. "Sorry. That came out wrong. I mean, I could easily go fast with you. Believe me. I just meant-"

Elena laughed lightly, cutting him off. "No, I understand. It came out perfectly. Don't worry."

Damon shook his head in disbelief, obviously feeling the same way she did. "Worst person in the world?" he repeated with a scoff. "More like best… or hottest." Elena laughed again.

Although she'd stopped their previous plans and needed to leave, she felt far too comfortable in their current position. A small part of her wished they could go back to the night before when her body had been completely enclosed in his as he'd held her while they slept. But they both needed to approach whatever change had just occurred with clear, well-rested heads and determine just how monumental the change really was. She pushed herself up and Damon moved to the side to let her stand.

Now that the haze of sex had faded a bit, Elena felt how the angel wings had been jabbing into her back. She turned to grab the robe from its position on the floor, making sure not to showcase her scantily covered ass any more than it inevitably would be.

"Just to let you know, there's no way in hell you're going to the party wearing that." Damon muttered from behind her.

Elena laughed at his cute streak of possessiveness. "I wasn't planning on wearing it to the party. Caroline bought it for me and wanted me to show it to her tonight."

"Ahh," Damon stood up and turned her around so that her back was facing him. "Well, then I should probably unbend these angel wings and _you_ should probably fix your hair." Elena turned her neck to look at him. Damon smirked, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Elena Gilbert, you look like you've been thoroughly fucked." Elena blushed at his vulgar language, reminding herself that if she'd kept her mouth shut, that's exactly what they would be doing right now. "Caroline will pick up on it in a second if you don't tame yourself down."

She waited for him to unbend the wire in the wings and she slid into his bathroom, blushing heavily at how "satisfied" her reflection looked. She was glad Damon had warned her. Although she was far from ashamed over what had just occurred, she definitely didn't need Caroline throwing a fit over it before she and Damon had even discussed it.

After Elena had done all she could, she entered back into the room where Damon had gone back to nursing his drink. Damon's eyes shot up to her when she was in his line of sight and he grinned. "You look perfectly unsatisfied again." Elena laughed awkwardly as he stood up to see her out.

Once they reached the door, Elena wasn't quite sure what to say. She hadn't had to worry about words when their mouths had been glued together. "Well, have fun at the party," she mumbled lamely.

Damon laughed. "You really think I'm going down to the party after _that_?" Elena was confused for a moment until she watched his gaze go down to the now quite prominent bulge in his pants. Elena blushed furiously, her eyes shooting back up to his teasing own.

"Again, I'm really, _really_ sorry," Elena spoke as genuinely as she could.

Damon chuckled softly, his hand reaching up to play with her chin. "Don't worry about it. Really. Completely understandable."

Elena bit her lip, feeling far more relaxed with their eyes locked, his gaze filled with compassion. "Tomorrow?" she whispered.

He nodded his head back at her, dropping his hand. "Tomorrow," he nodded. She smiled softly and stepped away, hearing him close the door behind her. Elena smoothed down her robe, heading toward Caroline's room. She was saying a silent prayer that Caroline wouldn't see straight through her when she felt the protrusion of the phone in the large pocket on her hip.

Pulling it out, checking to make sure in the daze that had been making out with Damon, it hadn't been damaged by its quick drop to the floor, Elena noticed that she had a few bars and a missed call. _Of_ _course_, she thought. _They would have service in this part of the house._ Elena pressed the phone icon and groaned when she saw whom the missed call was from.

Victoria.

It was amazing how this woman could ruin every good moment in Elena's life. Elena smirked a bit when she realized that she no longer had to worry about Victoria. Elena would call her the next day, inform her that now that she didn't have a failing career to hold against her, Elena would no longer be obliged to follow her orders. As Elena reached Caroline's room and pulled open the door handle, she pressed the delete button so the missed call wouldn't even show up in the log.

But when Elena's gaze moved from her phone to what was in front of her, she was in for a far, far bigger shock.

Standing in the middle of the room was a sexy flight attendant with her tongue completely down a ringmaster's throat….

But Klaus had said he was going to wear a devil costume.

Elena's mouth went dry when she remembered someone else's costume plans.

"Stefan!" Elena yelped.

Both heads ripped apart, gasping for air as they shot back like bottle rockets.

"Oh shit," Caroline cried, her chest heaving. Whatever had been happening when Elena had opened the door had obviously been going on for at least a few minutes. "Elena-"

"What the hell is going on?!" Elena cut her off. _No. Caroline and Klaus loved each other. Stefan and Lexi loved each other. People that love each other don't cheat on each other. Especially, not with… Oh my god. _

"Elena, please," Stefan tried. "We can explain."

"You can explain all fucking day long if you wanted to, but that doesn't make this okay or right in the slightest!" Elena shouted.

"Elena, please," Caroline repeated, frantically whispering. "Can you please lower your voice?" Elena noticed her eyes were brimming with tears.

Although every synapse in Elena's brain was telling her to scream to the high heavens over this latest revelation, the rational part of her spoke up. It wasn't her place to let the whole house know about whatever was going on between the two of them. They could ruin their own lives without her help.

Elena let out a shaky breath and shut the door behind her, before turning back to the girl with tears streaming down her face and a man who looked completely shell shocked.

"Fine." Her voice came out stern. "I'm going to walk out of here so that the two of you can talk. _Only_ talk. Both of you need to figure out what the fuck is going on in your heads and make some sort of decision. Caroline," she turned to the shaking girl. "Go get some tissues and clean yourself up." The blonde nodded and walked past Stefan into her bathroom. "And Stefan." His gaze shot up to hers, tears now brimming from his own eyes as well. Elena let out a deep breath before continuing. "Decide which blonde you should be kissing."

With that, Elena pulled the door back open and walked out of the room, closing it behind her. She shook her head in disbelief. Her day had been filled with shocking and unbelievable moments, but this one _absolutely_ took the cake. Never in a million years could she have predicted what she'd just seen. She was sure that Caroline would explain everything to her tomorrow, but for now, she needed to get as far away from it as possible. She couldn't be associated with whatever was going on between the two of them, no matter how desperate she was to fix it.

She slid her clammy hands into her robe pockets as she numbly walked down the hall and back towards her room, when the lit up screen of her phone caught her eye. Elena stopped dead in her tracks when she saw what it indicated.

She hadn't pressed delete. She'd pressed call back.

**Okay, so we all agree? OMGINTENSE is the only way to describe this chapter, right? Okay, good.**

**Now I will say that I'm not as thrilled with the writing in this chapter as I was in the last one (hey, I told you so.) But I did love getting to throw all of this action and drama into it. So let's go over the basics.**

**1) Happy or not that Elena's gonna be staying in the house as a guest rather than an employee?**

**2) UMM, OMG KISS. Hehehe, I hope I did that scene justice. I know you guys have been waiting for that moment for a long time, so I do hope it was worth the wait. Pleasepleaseplease let me know your opinions on it. Too soon? Too late? Too awfully written?**

**3) CAROLINE AND MOTHER FREAKING STEFAN. How do we feel about this? How long do you think this has been going on? What do you think their "explanation" is?**

**4) And uh oh spaghettios. Guess who just heard that whole confrontation? That's right. What do you think that means for Elena?**

**And finally: are you happy I'm back or do you wish I would have forgotten my computer at home?**

**Now: review away!**

**I love love love you all and I hope you'll stick with me. As you can see, this story is nowhere near over.**


	13. Chapter 13: Big Black Car

**Hi. Do you guys even remember me or... Yes, it's been exactly a month since I uploaded the last chapter and honestly, that's what it's going to look like for the rest of this novel/fic/story. Although I have been insanely busy over these past few months (I pledged a sorority, Tri Sigma, and have already been drowning in work), I've been working on this one, somewhat short chapter for what feels like weeks. Seriously, I don't think I've ever been given more trouble with any one chapter. And although I'm highly dissatisfied with the quality of writing, it was time for a new one and I honestly have rewritten this sucker more times than I can count. So I'm just putting it out there so I can move on with the story. This chapter has a lot of information and sets the tone for the end of this fic, which leads me to my next point.**

**OH EM GEE THIS STORY IS ALMOST OVER! Can you believe it? I spent a few minutes last night plotting out the entirety of the fic and I'm only seeing about five more chapters. I think they'll be long ones, given that I make you guys wait so long for them, and there's still a heck of a lot more drama to come, but I think this story is ready to get its ending soon.**

**Also, while I may be pretty absent on this website, I'm constantly on my tumblr (ninadobsession) so you can always talk to me and hear my ramblings about life/writing this story on there.**

**Shutting up now. :)**

* * *

Chapter 13: Big Black Car

_Well, time has a way of throwing it all in your face_

_The past, she is haunted, the future is laced_

_Heartbreak, ya know, drives a big black car_

_I swear I was in the back seat, _

_Just minding my own_

Elena was fairly sure her heart was going to beat out of her chest. She'd called Victoria back. She'd pressed the button about one second before she walked into Caroline's room and seen her and Stefan together. She'd been unintentionally on a call with Victoria as she'd reamed the pair out for their immoral actions. And if Victoria was on the other end, that meant she'd heard _every single word of it._

Holy motherfucking shit.

Shock hit Elena like a tidal wave. If Victoria knew about Stefan and Caroline… It would destroy everything. And right now, it looked like Victoria was just waiting on the other end of the line for Elena to realize her faux pas. Elena desperately looked around the hallway and then grabbed at the handle of the door right next to her. She threw herself inside of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. It was just another one of the extraneous bedrooms, but for Elena, it would be the place she found out her fate.

As she shakily pulled the phone up to her ear, Elena replayed the past minute or two in her mind. Had she said anything _deliberately_ condemning them for their actions? It wasn't like Victoria could see anything. Maybe all she knew was that there was some sort of controversy, not what exactly that controversy was. Obviously, there'd been shouting, but had Elena used any names? Had she even used the term kiss?

"Hello?" Elena whispered meekly into the phone. Her heart was now pounding near violently against her rib cage.

"I didn't think you had it in you." The voice on the other end was filled with snark and pride. So much so that it caused the hairs on Elena's arms to rise.

_Play it off, Elena. Pretend like you have no clue what she's talking about. Maybe your phone muffled everything. _"Sorry," Elena cleared her throat. "I didn't realize I butt dialed you. I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"Oh, you don't have to play humble with me," Victoria cooed on the other end. "You did an excellent job. You should be proud of yourself. I am."

Elena gulped. "Wh-what do you mean?" Elena was not doing a very good job playing dumb.

"Calling me before you confronted Stefan and Caroline? It's _perfect_. The second I realized what was happening, I recorded the whole conversation. You're a genius. And calling them by name… hell, even saying the word kiss… There's no mistaking what you walked in on. Now, when it goes in the book and those two deny their little affair to the high heavens, we can throw this to the presses. I was beginning to doubt you, but wow. _Incredible_."

Elena's heart sank and her throat went dry. Shit, shit, a million times shit. This wouldn't just be swept under the rug. Of course not. It was Victoria. This woman was the devil incarnate and would always be there to remind Elena of the mistakes she'd made. She should have never agreed to meet with her in the first place. It was like she'd had an invisible chain tied to her ankle, forever binding her to this insufferable woman.

Tears filled her eyes as Elena denied Victoria's claims. "I didn't do it on purpose," she choked out. "It was an accident. I would _never_ hurt them that way."

Victoria sighed. "You really need to learn how to lie. I was giving you credit for a job well done. You should have gone with it. But alas, you still won't take ownership of your true bitch nature. Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll get you there someday."

Elena practically had to hold back a growl. The shock was fading and anger was quickly manifesting itself as the replacement. "I'm not a bitch." Some power came back into Elena's tone. "In fact, I'm done. There's no way in hell I'm doing this book for you. I'm out."

"Aww, did little Damon finally learn about the Original girl crisis?" Victoria asked patronizingly on the other end. It caused more heat to run through Elena's veins.

"Yes," she spat back bitterly. "I'm no longer writing his book for him. Not that it's any of your business, but I'm no longer correlated with the Original girl title. Therefore, I won't be requiring your help."

Victoria paused on the other end of the line for just a moment, before bursting into hysterics. "You really are like Dorothy in Oz. So naïve. You really should work on that."

Elena's hand tightened on the phone. "What are you saying?"

"Do you really think I'm going to just let you walk away? That I'd just drop this Stefan and Caroline thing, burn the manuscript, and give you a pat on your head to send you off?" The menace in her tone made Elena's insides burn. "If you do, you're fucking insane."

Elena steeled herself for her next barb. "Fine. But you're doing it without me. We are _done_." Elena smirked in pride. There was no way she was going to play doormat to Victoria's psychotic demands.

"No, we're not, sweetheart," Victoria crooned. "We're _far_ from done. In fact, we're only just beginning. That is, unless you want to ruin your life."

Elena's determination was a bit weaker. "What do you mean? You can't hold anything over me."

"Do you think your precious 'friends' would still love you if they knew you leaked the affair to the public?"

"B-but I didn't. _You_ are."

"_Your_ voice is the one in the recording. _Your_ call is the one I recorded."

"It was accidental," Elena snapped back, now desperately trying to gain back control of the situation. "I didn't mean to. I'll explain it to them."

"Disregarding the fact that it's almost completely unbelievable that you oh so coincidentally butt dialed me, you should be aware that you're going to have to explain why you had my number in the first place, Elena. You were planning on betraying them from the very beginning."

"That's not true," Elena stuttered. This conversation was rapidly descending into its own personal form of hell. "Your deal doesn't even make sense. I either betray my friends or I write the book for you and betray my friends. How the hell do I benefit from this situation?"

Victoria let out a deep breath and lowered her tone, implying how deathly serious she was. "Elena. Listen to me. I know these Originals better than you think I do. They're tough, like an impenetrable shield. Shit from the outside, they can handle it. It might dent their walls a bit, but they'll stay intact… But a betrayal from the inside… that very well might destroy them."

Elena faltered. "I don't understand."

"Elena, you might think you're incredibly important to them, but you desperately need to reevaluate. You're _replaceable_. If you hurt them, it won't do anything but bring them closer together. They all know each other's dirty little secrets… except for this one. And once they do find out, it will more than likely tear that group completely apart. I'm offering you a deal. You continue writing this book for me; I'll delete the recording and never even think about releasing it. If you don't…. well, I think you're smart enough to put two and two together."

Elena trembled in her spot. Never in a million years did she think she'd have to face a decision as terrible as this one. "It's up to you," Victoria replied coolly over the phone, as though she was just sitting around filing her nails whilst delivering this cruel blackmail. "You can either be selfish and preserve the so-called 'morality' you have when all the while you're ripping your little friend group apart… or you can keep that dirty little secret under the covers and destroy any chance of Damon or the others ever speaking to you again. What's it going to be?"

Elena slid to the floor, wrapping her arm around her knees as the tears streamed down her face. Victoria was right. If Caroline and Stefan's betrayal got out, the entire group dynamic would be destroyed. Choosing sides would be a necessity and it would take years before any sense of normalcy came back. If Elena thought that by not taking Victoria's offer, she would be preserving her relationship with the Originals, she was an idiot. There wouldn't be anything left to preserve once the story got out.

Elena couldn't ignore the most conflicting part of this whole debacle: Damon. In the past half hour, he'd been on top of her, their lips and tongues dueling it out, and heading towards something that was nowhere near "friendship." She knew there were feelings there, but they were supposed to be figuring that all out later. Over the next few weeks, as they enjoyed their vacation, they would have been able to discuss what had happened, spend more time together, and maybe, just maybe, do a whole heck of a lot of things akin to what they'd been doing earlier.

But she knew what her decision had to be. If she ignored Victoria's demands, then she'd be the most selfish, heartless bitch ever. She'd be revealing a secret that wasn't hers to reveal and for what? The slim chance that she and Damon were anything? The repercussions of Caroline and Stefan's affair would probably pull Elena down with them, given that she was the one who'd discovered them. She was fairly sure that Damon wouldn't be as invested in seeing things through when his entire friend group was splitting apart.

Victoria was right. Elena betraying them would sting, but it wouldn't do much to the tight knit bonds the group held. Of course, she'd be completely obliterating any possible chance she'd have with Damon or any of the other Originals once the authorship of the tell-all came out, but at least she wouldn't destroy them. She couldn't do that. She couldn't be the one who rips them apart.

"Fine," Elena choked out. "I'll do it your way." The words tasted like acid coming out of her mouth.

"Well, good. I'm glad you're seeing things correctly. I'm not here to make your life a living hell, Elena. You're still guaranteed all of the success we discussed earlier. This book will be a hit."

Elena's trembling body now shook in anger. This wasn't about success. Elena could care less about success. She was only trying to do what she thought was right, the lesser of two evils. But of course, Victoria could only see the money signs. Elena shakily replied, "You understand I'm not doing this willingly, right?"

"I don't need you to do this _willingly_, Elena," Victoria emphasized. "I just need you to do it."

"Why me?" Elena cried.

"Because I enjoy the poetry of it, Elena. The beauty of your betrayal will only make the book that much more brutal."

Elena hung up the phone, chucking it across the empty room and releasing a sob. The boning of the corset dug into her ribs as she shook with her cries, as though just another punishment for previous choices. If Damon's offer had been her fairytale, Victoria was the evil queen. The only problem was that, this time, nobody could save her.

* * *

Elena woke up feeling as foul as she deserved to feel. Although she'd taken a shower the previous night to cover up her cries, she couldn't seem to wash away how dirty she felt. She turned on the water again, putting it as hot as it would go, as though burning her skin would relieve her from some of the guilt. Elena shuffled around her room as though she'd been diagnosed with a terminal illness the day prior. She slid a pair of dark colored skinny jeans up her legs and added a casual white top, not able to muster enough energy to put too much thought into her ensemble. Now that it was November, the Alps were officially showing their winter bite, prompting Elena to throw on a cool marled sweater that had originally belonged to her grandfather over her thin shirt.

Elena had neglected to open her laptop since the previous day, knowing that once she did, she'd have to pull that document out of the Recycle Bin and truly restart her betrayal, so she had no clue what time it actually was. She grabbed her service-less phone, (if only Stefan and Caroline had been making out on _this_ side of the house) and saw that it was only six thirty in the morning. A part of Elena thought she should just go back to bed, hide under the covers away from reality, but another recognized that she wanted coffee and she'd be alone downstairs anyways.

But Elena's assumption was wrong. Once she descended the stairs, she was bereft to find an ash-white blonde who looked even rougher than Elena did. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her hands were shaky around the mug of coffee she was nursing. The typically perfectly coifed blonde locks were tangled and flat and huge grey sweats covered her incredible figure.

"Caroline?" Elena asked meekly, almost afraid to disturb her.

Her head shot up from her position, eyes wide with fear. "Elena," she murmured, her voice raspier than usual. "Hey."

Although Elena knew that Caroline was in the wrong here, she still felt herself feeling horribly for the girl. Every ounce of perkiness in her was gone. It almost seemed unnatural. Whatever was going on with her and Stefan wasn't something she was writing off lightly.

"How are you feeling?" Elena asked, walking over to the coffee she so desperately needed as well.

Caroline cleared her throat. "I'm trying to remember what sleep feels like," she replied monotonously, her gaze already back to the liquid in her cup.

Elena stood in her position, still in the habit of waiting for Caroline to finish babbling. But the girl hadn't said more than twenty syllables since Elena had walked in. Elena exhaled deeply, and after taking a large gulp of coffee, she walked over to stand in front of Caroline. Of course, Elena's own life was falling apart, yet she still felt the strong need to help someone else who was feeling the same. Besides, if she was going to betray them so harshly in the near future, she might as well try to be helpful now.

"Elena, I-" Caroline began, her tone desperate.

"No, wait," Elena cut her off. "I need to say something first." In Caroline's fragile state, it didn't take as much to shut her down. "Caroline, I shouldn't have seen what I saw last night. But I did. And right now, I'm here for you. If you want to talk about it, I will listen and I will try my best to get rid of any judgment. We all make mistakes." Elena noticed a slight flinch on Caroline's part. Maybe she didn't completely see it as a mistake. "Well, we all do things we aren't supposed to do, that is." That statement seemed to agree with Caroline more. "But if you would just rather I stay out of it, I will do that as well."

Caroline stared at the marble on the counter for a moment and Elena watched as her eyes grew watery. She took a deep shuddering breath before locking her gaze back to Elena. "Can we not do it here?" she asked hesitantly.

Elena nodded her head in compassion. "Of course. Lead the way."

The blonde shuffled her way out of the kitchen with Elena trailing behind, walking into the main study and locking the door behind them. This was a room Elena had yet to enter. In fact, she'd been fairly sure that nobody ever did, but from the looks of all the papers and storyboards scattered around, this room was frequently in use.

Caroline must have noticed Elena's expression. "Elijah's a workaholic." Caroline smiled sadly. "He can only handle the fun for so long before he's itching to continue his films. He's really eager to make sure he doesn't get dragged down into the Mikaelson frat boy stereotype." Elena felt her chest tighten at Caroline's words. Sure, it wasn't incredibly juicy, but it was an insight into the enigma that was Elijah, an insight that would more than likely have to go in the book. Before she'd been actively searching for dirt on the Originals, but now, she'd be desperately trying to avoid it.

Elena and Caroline sat in the two armchairs on the side of the large room, feet tucked up underneath them and clutching the steaming mugs in their hands. The room wasn't as well heated as the rest of the house was and sitting by the window caused the brisk chill of the air to flood the room. Elena couldn't tell if Caroline was trembling from the cold or fear.

Elena had planned on just waiting until Caroline was ready to speak but thankfully, it didn't take the blonde too long to decide when to start. "On your birthday, when you were gone, everything was really, really tense around here. So all of us just kind of went to our rooms and stayed up there the whole day. I mean, there wasn't anything really left to say given the whole dinner debacle." Caroline's eyes flashed up to Elena's as if checking that she was still on board. "Well, given that there's not much to do in our rooms besides… Klaus wanted me to do whatever I'd planned on doing the night before so I did. I mean, I was in the most gorgeous lingerie and there were candles and I pulled out these moves that were ridiculous. I mean, Elena, at one point I got my leg to-"

"Okay, really hot sex," Elena interrupted. "Got it."

Caroline nodded, ceasing her nervous babbling. "Yes, it was incredible. Well, at least _I_ thought it was. But it was like Klaus didn't even care. He stayed in bed with me for about five minutes afterwards and then decided that he didn't want to be in the room anymore. He just kissed me on the cheek and left. I literally gave him the best fuck _ever_ and he just walked out like it was a mediocre quickie. How could I _not_ feel like shit afterwards? So I sat there and I just couldn't stop thinking. Like, does he not love me anymore? Are we going to stop having sex altogether? Does he even want to be with me forever? It was all girly bullshit, but it wouldn't stop."

Caroline steadied herself as she approached the bigger topic. "When I heard he'd decided to go out with his brothers that night, I decided to cure my overactive brain with tequila and chocolate. So there I was, lying in bed watching terrible movies and alternating between a bottle and a candy box when Stefan knocks on the door. And he comes in, to tell me god knows what… and he keeps stuttering and getting distracted. So of course, I ask him what the hell is wrong with him and he says, 'I'm sorry. You just look really beautiful right now.'"

Elena's eyes widen at the bold remark as Caroline shakes her head in agreement. "I know, right?! I mean, I look like absolute _shit_… well, not as bad as I do now, but still. I mean I've been in front of this guy in evening gowns and full hair and makeup and right then, when I'm crying over my boyfriend while drunkenly stuffing my face with chocolate, he determines I'm beautiful. We've always had a small flirtation thing going on and I did make-out with him before I fell for Klaus when I was writing his book but I'd never thought too much of it."

Elena's brain was taking its sweet time trying to absorb all of the new information. Although she knew that when more of the house had been single, there'd been some brief hookups, but she'd never put those two together.

"So, I thanked him awkwardly and then he came down and sat on the bed and he asked me what was wrong. I mean, we're friends so it was all very platonic but then… God, he was just so perfect about it. He completely calmed me down and he held me and we were watching this movie together and I was drunk so I…. I kissed him." Caroline bit her lip, her head going down in shame. "I don't know why. All I'd wanted that night was for Klaus to do that for me and Stefan just came in and took over the role."

Caroline stopped her nervous babbling, tracing imaginary patterns into the arm of her chair with her finger. "So you just kissed him?" Elena asked cautiously. She watched as Caroline's face slowly scrunched up, more tears filling her eyes as she shook her head rapidly back and forth.

"Caroline," Elena replied softly.

"I didn't mean for it to happen!" Caroline cried, the moisture from her eyes now sliding down her cheeks. "I know that every one says that, but I didn't _ever_ intend on sleeping with him. But I was too drunk and we were too close and he did try to stop us but god, I'm too stubborn." Caroline paused, shakily shifting in her position. "But it gets worse," she mumbled.

Elena's eyebrows crinkled. _How could it get worse than sleeping with your husband's best friend while said best friend's wife is in the same house?_

"God, Elena, it was so good," Caroline sighed. "Like better than what I'd just done with Klaus good." At those words, Caroline completely broke down. "I mean, I know it's because Klaus wasn't as into it, but… Stefan was. He t-told me… He told me afterwards that he'd liked me before I got with Klaus and he'd been so jealous when I was working here…"

Caroline cried a little bit longer, trying to calm herself before continuing. "After it happened, I knew it had to end so I told Stefan that we needed to talk about it. He met me in the room before the party and…. Then we weren't talking anymore. And that's where you showed up."

Elena let the silence fill the room as she absorbed all of the information she'd just received. After a few minutes of Caroline's sniffling, she finally spoke up. "Does Stefan love Lexi?"

Caroline looked puzzled for a moment. "Um, yeah. I assume so."

"And you love Klaus-" Elena added.

"Yes, of course! God, so, so much." Caroline cried.

Elena bit her lip. "But how do you feel about Stefan?"

"I-I don't know!" Caroline shot up from her seated position and began pacing. "I mean I'm not in love with him or anything but… I can't ignore how amazing it felt to be with him. And if you hadn't walked in…" Caroline sighed, stopping in her place and covering her hands with her face. "God, I don't know anything anymore."

"Well, what did you two talk about when I left?" Elena asked.

"It didn't really go that well. I was sobbing and he was freaking out. There wasn't much deep meaningful conversation to be had."

Elena sighed, getting up from her seated position and placing her mug down next to Caroline's long abandoned one. Elena stood herself in front of the crying girl and took hold of her arms that were crossed over her chest. "Look, I've always been a proponent of honesty," Elena began. She then had an overwhelming urge to stab herself for her hypocrisy but she continued. "But I think in this case, neither you or Stefan need to say anything to anyone else. You don't know how you feel about all this. Stefan's obviously even more conflicted than you are. If you tell Klaus and you're not even definitively sure whether or not you want to continue the relationship… It will hurt a million times more." Caroline let out another choked sob and nodded. "Now, I'm not saying you need to keep hooking up with Stefan until you figure this out. But you have to figure out what it is you truly want." Elena let out a light smile, pushing Caroline's hair behind her ear. "And 'both' isn't an option, unfortunately." Caroline let out a small giggle and then sighed, rubbing her own hands down her forearms.

"God, it's so cold in here," Caroline grumbled, obviously done talking about the situation. "I swear I can't stand the cold."

"Good thing you came to the Alps then," Elena replied sarcastically, garnering another giggle from the blonde. Elena could sense Caroline was falling back into her head a little bit. "Hey, how about this? We get out of this house, get ourselves out of these sweats, and go do girly stuff. Let you get out of your own mind for a while. Does that sound good?"

Caroline's face lit up with a grin. "That sounds incredible." Elena's face lit up in surprise as her friend hit her with a forceful hug. She wrapped her own arms tightly around her as her own thoughts turned self-deprecating. She was playing BFF when she was actually the enemy. Elena was not only allowing the Originals closer to her, but she was allowing herself to grow closer to the Originals. And that was just as masochistic as it could get.

* * *

Elena trudged back into her room, completely exhausted from her day of escapades with Caroline. It had served as a wonderful distraction for both girls, but Elena felt like she could sleep for a year. As Elena draped her pea coat on the chair, she thought about how Caroline had dragged her all over town, taking her to bakeries and restaurants and shops galore. And although Elena's mind kept going back to the work she had waiting for her, seeing Caroline's huge grin as she found the perfect whatever-it-was helped Elena feel better.

She knew she needed to shower and get ready for bed, but Elena couldn't fathom keeping her eyes open for any longer. So instead, she crawled directly into bed, still wearing a navy cable-knit sweater, black inverted pleated skirt, and gray lace-up wedge booties. Sure the tights were a bit uncomfortable, but she was far too fatigued to care.

The next thing Elena knew, someone who was intent on getting her to wake-up was shaking her gently. Elena let out a highly unflattering groan.

"What time is it?" she grumbled.

"It's like 3:25. Come on, you're gonna to want to see this." _Damon_, Elena recognized. She shot up like a bullet, hastily wiping away the drool she'd accumulated in her deep sleep.

"Um, can this wait?" Elena asked. She'd been far too successful in avoiding Damon since learning she had to continue working for Victoria and she really had no intention of breaking that streak. Her infantile mind had just determined she'd never speak to him again. A ridiculous desire, but a desire none the less.

"No!" Damon cried. "Come on!" His eyes were filled with a passion Elena had only seen one or twice. Whatever he wanted her to see was important to him and she was far too eager to please.

Elena sighed, rolling out of bed and attempting to smooth out her skirt. Damon's determination faltered for a moment. "Why did you fall asleep in your clothes?" Damon asked.

"I was tired," Elena snapped back. "It's been a busy couple of days." Elena questioned if truer words had ever been spoken.

The shit-eating grin Damon had been sporting earlier appeared on his face again. "You can say that again," he added with a wink. Elena rolled her eyes as Damon the grown toddler dragged her out of her room and towards the stairs.

"Ow, Damon! Loosen your grip," Elena cried, just as they reached the French doors that led to the patio. "Wait, what are we doing? It's fucking freezing," she whispered.

"Hush! The surprise is outside!" Damon muttered. With that, Damon took his warm hand and held it over Elena's eyes, thereby preventing her from seeing anything. Elena didn't hesitate or even flinch. Damon could have been leading her into an execution chamber and she would have followed blindly, as long as he stayed that close to her and she got to inhale the fragrant aroma that was cologne mixed with pure Damon.

She did flinch however as the freezing cold air hit her hard. Instantly regretting not grabbing her jacket, she instinctively crossed her arms in front of her as Damon led her out onto the soft, snow-covered pat- _Wait a second._

"Snow," Elena murmured.

At that, Damon took his hands of her eyes. Elena felt her breath catch as she stared out onto the gorgeous white washed backyard. The snow was light, only truly visible thanks to Damon turning on a single light, but the dusting on the ground was magnificent.

Elena had seen snow a fair amount during her small town childhood. Every winter had at least three or four big snowfalls that would shut down the schools for a few days and caused massive amounts of glee in the youth of the city. But Elena knew now that the snow that fell in the Alps was a whole different breed. Sure it was just frozen water, but here it took on a magical quality that could somehow remind Elena of all the good things in life.

But Elena had to admit there was an even more beautiful sight standing right next to her. Damon's face was covered in a grin akin to that of a five year old. She was fairly sure she'd never seen him that unfiltered. There was no tough guy, man whore façade. Just Damon. Kind, generous, thoughtful, devastatingly handsome Damon. And the realization that came to her then felt like a knife in the gut.

She couldn't hurt him. Either choice Victoria gave her would, but Elena had to recognize that her worth to him was far less significant than that of his brother and his best friend. Victoria was right. The Originals would survive the book being published. They were strong. Elena couldn't be selfish with him. It's not like they were married or something. She'd be just another girl on his list at the end of the day, one the Originals would refer to as "that greed-mongering whore." But he'd get over it after a while. The affair on the other hand…

"Hey, what's wrong?" Elena shook herself out of her wandering thoughts as Damon wrapped his arms around her shivering body. Apparently her melancholy had been visible. "I'm sorry I woke you up. It was dumb."

Elena shook her head rapidly back and forth, feeling some moisture hit her eyes. "No, not at all. It's beautiful out here."

At that moment, Elena had another realization, one she would regret for a long, long time. If she had a decent bone in her body, she'd walk away from him. Tell him she didn't feel anything for him, that their kiss had been a mistake, that they should keep their relationship platonic. But she was too weak. She might be just another woman for Damon, but as he held her in his arms, snowflakes catching in his eyelashes, she realized he was more to her. He was something she'd never have the strength to give up, even on the day when he inevitably did.

So when he leaned down, capturing his lips with hers, Elena allowed the purity of the fresh-fallen snow to overwrite the impurity of her decision. She might never get her happy ending, but she had a sneaking suspicion this might be her chance to have a prince.

**I'm going to state ahead of time that I'm not going to be very apt to put up with Elena hate after this chapter. I've done my absolute best to convey to you that this girl is doing the best she can in a very, very crappy situation so if you're going to call her names and hate on her for making a few mistakes, there's nothing I can do to change your minds. Please note that I write imperfect characters because I like realistic stories and for Elena to be a saint in this story makes it neither interesting nor fun for you all to read. So as politely as I can, I'm going to have to say deal with it or stop reading.**

**Okay, on to a lighter note: the phone call. Eh, that's not really lighter but let's merge to it anyway. Victoria is such a... well you can fill in the blank there ;) Yes, Victoria has basically trapped Elena into picking the lesser of two evils. Someone noted in the last chapter that recording phone calls is illegal but after some research, in NYC (where Victoria is based) as long as one party is aware of it, it's legal. **

**I also wanted to give you guys a glimpse into the Stefan/Caroline debacle. I'm really happy with the response I got on that plot line (aka you all didn't threaten to kill my whole family) so it will definitely be fully fleshed out. You have super insecure Caroline and super conflicted Stefan with old feelings for C combined with a house that has no rules. Crap's bound to go down.**

**I also thought I'd give you all a precious moment at the end to make up for the angst that this chapter contained. Yes, this chapter was shorter than normal, but occasionally that has to happen. Next chapter should be longer and will also have another time jump.**

**So questions for the reviews: Are you ready to give up on this story? I really wish I could provide you with something better than this chapter, but like I said, this one is a major struggle. I can't believe how many of you all actually enjoy this story, but I understand if you're not so into it now. How much do we hate Victoria? What would you have done if you were in Elena's shoes? (Remember: I'm not going to put up with unreasonable hate.) How do you feel about the S/C affair? And who else got a little swoony while D&E were out in the snow?**

**Another question that I'd like to ask (ahead of time) is whether you guys are still on board with this rating. I'm perfectly fine with keeping it T, but I also don't want to have all of you (when that time comes) to hate me for cutting it off before you want me to cut it off. So please let me know if you'd rather me change this to an M or keep it the same. I'm one hundred percent okay with doing either.**

**Okay, I'm uploading this now and I'm really, really nervous to hear your reactions. For those of you that are still with me, a new chapter will be up as soon as I can. **

**LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU ALL**


	14. Chapter 14: I Feel It All

**Hello, hello fabulous readers. How are you all today? I'm actually not so stressed out for ONCE because I'm home for my fall break. But alas, in only a few days I'll be back in stressful hell otherwise known as college. C'est la vie, I guess.**

**I was planning on uploading this chapter on my birthday (the 30th of this month) as kind of a present for myself, but I'm too impatient. I considered writing and posting Chapter 15 then, but alas, I don't think I can write another chapter in ten days intermixed with all my other papers and exams. So I think I'll have to just make this an _early_ birthday present.**

**I really liked this chapter. It's ridiculously long, the longest yet, and is filled with some crazy angst and emotions. Don't fear though: there's plenty of fluff to tide you over as well.**

**Two things to point out: 1) I need to admit that I made a big old mistake last chapter that a reviewer thankfully pointed out to me. I referred to Klaus as Caroline's husband and Lexi as Stefan's wife when that is not the case. I guess I was a little too eager or just sleep-deprived from school. :P But to clarify, both couples are only dating so I apologize for writing something that dumb. 2) The rating. Based on popular demand, this fic will be changing to an M rating. I am aware of the few of you who expressed that you didn't want it to change, but you were outvoted by a lot. Please message me if you're really concerned about this so we can discuss, but as of right now, this fic is no longer T.**

**Can't believe there are only 3 MORE CHAPTERS LEFT. Hope you enjoy and please leave your reviews. You all are absolutely amazing.**

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Chapter 14: I Feel It All

_Oh I'll be the one who'll break my heart_

_I'll be the one to hold the gun_

"Damon!" Elena shrieked then giggled, as his breath hit only a centimeter from the cup of her bra. She'd zoned out far too quickly the second his warm lips had hit her neck, but the intrusion on a part of her body that had rarely been explored caused her to finally realize what his mouth was discovering.

"I'm," Damon moved his head back up to her own, placing a sloppy kiss on her face. "sorry." _kiss_ "Is" _kiss_ "something" _kiss_ "wrong?" His face lit up in a cocky grin as he moved back to capture his lips with her own.

Elena groaned, feeling herself succumbing to his cursed tongue. She was developing a theory that Damon didn't actually need to work. Instead, Elena was now almost positive that women would pay him ridiculous amounts of money if they knew what he could do to them by just a kiss. Of course, the idea of anyone else getting this treatment made Elena want to buy a gun, but the hand that was bunching up her white long sleeved shirt at her waist distracted her.

"Okay, down boy," she moaned, pushing him off of her. Damon let out an exaggerated sigh as he flopped next to her on the bed. _Note to self_, Elena thought. _Stop doing these sessions on a bed. _The lack of body warmth he'd provided her with was noticed immediately and she yanked the thick comforter up to cover both of them. Although the beauty of the snow had once entranced Elena, after over a month of the frigid air, she was officially sick of it. Fuck the Alps. She was actually missing forever-sunny LA.

"You're killing me, Elena," Damon groaned teasingly. Elena rolled her eyes at his dramatics. Damon would never be the kind of dick to actually get pissed about her not putting out. As a matter of fact, there wasn't much for him to complain about. He was far too good at convincing her to forgo whatever it was she was doing and fall into his arms.

"_You're_ killing _me_!" She cried. "You couldn't stay focused on this book if there was a gun to your head!"

Damon grinned, his hand reaching over to grab at her waist again, pulling her just the slightest bit closer to him. "Well, I guess we've reached an impasse. You see, I need you to help me write this, but you are far too tempting." As he spoke, he flicked his tongue out to hit her collarbone, nearly causing Elena to forget why there was even a laptop there in the first place. But as he leaned in to resume his activities, her brain reminded her of the goal.

"No sir." She jumped off the bed right as Damon did a face plant into the comforter. She tried hard not to laugh, but as he pushed himself up and spit out whatever lint had gotten in his mouth, she couldn't suppress the giggle.

A mischievous grin broke over Damon's previously disgusted face. "Oh, nobody laughs at Damon Salvatore and gets away from it," he growled. Elena let out a squeal, realizing she was definitely going to pay for her careless chuckle. But when she spotted the large fuzzy mass on the floor, she didn't hesitate.

Damon groaned loudly. "There's a reason I got that off of you in the first five minutes, Elena," he complained as she slid the faux fur vest over her shoulders. Elena just grinned in response, successful in both her mission to get Damon to focus and to keep her body at a somewhat normal temperature.

As she got back under the comforter with Damon, she watched his lip curl, as the offensive item came closer to him. "Such a boner killer," he mumbled as he pulled the laptop into his lap, a word document covering the screen.

"_Boner_?" Elena giggled. "Since when do guys above the age of nineteen say the word boner?"

"What can I say, Miss Gilbert?" Damon's voice transitioned into a cheesy Southern accent. "You just make me feel like a giddy teenager."

Elena playfully stuck her tongue out at him, but leaned closer, allowing her hand to rub his shoulder comfortingly. She'd been more than happy to help Damon write his autobiography, but he seemed to hit a roadblock once a week. Watching him stare at a blank screen as the cursor blinked caused a part of her heart to clench in pain. Although it was just a book and it wasn't as if he was desperate for a paycheck, she knew that these mental blocks were far more psychological than writing based.

She placed her chin down on his shoulder as he rubbed his hand over his face in frustration, his working mindset back in place. "I swear, I don't know how you do this," he spoke softly.

Elena smiled sadly, playing with some of the hair at the base of his neck. "I _don't_ do this. I write about others, not myself." Damon turned to give her an accusing look. "My journal doesn't count, Damon."

Damon sighed. "Still more experience than I have." They sat in silence for a few moments, Damon obviously deep in thought. "Do you have any more of those questions?" He asked.

"Um," Elena leaned over, dragging her notebook out from its place underneath the nightstand. "Yeah, actually, I do. Do you think that would help?"

"Anything would be better than staring at nothing for another hour," Damon whined.

Elena brushed the hair out of her face, scanning with her finger down the list of questions that she'd never finished asking. She tried her hardest not to seem too eager, but she seemed to have a slight addiction to learning more about Damon. Her latest goal was finding out what had happened with his parents. Clearly there was a backstory and it held the source of the majority of his emotional baggage. She just wanted to know exactly what it was. So much so that she was scavenging the page looking for something that could give her insight.

"Think of the last time you were really angry. Why were you angry and do you still feel the same way?"

"Elena." Her name was used as a warning, Damon looking up at her. Damnit, he could read her like a book.

"What?" She asked innocently. "It's on the list."

"Nope, I'm picking." He shoved the laptop away for a moment, turning to face her. "How many are there?"

"Twenty-five, why?" Elena asked, a little thrown off her game.

"Read me number eleven," Damon shot back.

Elena glanced at him for a moment, but sighed and located the question. "Oh, this is rich." She grinned.

"What?"

"Number eleven: does sex = love?"

"_Fuck_ no!" Damon snapped. "See what I did there?" He added, a cocky smirk on his face.

"Ahh, you are so witty, Mr. Salvatore. You should write a book," she winked.

"Such a bitch," Damon muttered, eyes playful. Elena grinned. "Why don't you answer?" The twinkle in his eye still remained.

"Whether I think sex equals love?" Elena repeated.

"Yup," he replied, popping the "p" at the end of the word.

"Umm," Elena thought for a moment. "I think it _can_. Does that count?"

Damon regarded her for a moment, and then smiled. "I'm better at this than you are."

"Yeah, well I'm an interviewer, not an interviewee."

"Alright, give me number… twenty-two."

"Are you old fashioned?" Elena asked coyly.

Damon pursed his lips, considering her question. "In certain ways. I think I'm fairly modern, but I do appreciate that some of the finer things in life are traditional. You?"

"One hundred percent agree. Alright, pick another," Elena smiled. She was enjoying this new twist on their interviews.

"Hmm, number… eight."

Elena's grin fell off her face abruptly when she read the question. "Umm, okay," she muttered. "Uh… are you the kind of friend that you would want to have as a friend?"

Her head shot up to meet a dubious expression. Damon stared at her. "That's not the right question, is it?"

Elena subtly gulped. "Why would you think that?"

"I know your eyes and I just watched them read the right question then scoot on down to another one _you_ deemed more appropriate. Now come on, read number eight."

Elena scrambled, all neurons firing so that she wouldn't have to ask the dreaded question. "I did, Damon. So are you the kind of-"

"Is it about sex?" Damon grinned. "Is it too _dirty_?"

"No!" Elena cried. "Just answer the damn question."

"I can't answer it if you won't give it to me."

"I just did!"

"The right one, Elena." Damon's tone was more serious now, goading her into submission.

"Damon, seriously. Don't be such a baby about this."

"I'm the one being the baby?!" He shouted incredulously. His eyes flickered with mischievousness. "If the question is how I give the best orgasm possible, I can go into great detail."

Elena blushed as her imagination ran. "I already told you the question, Damon," she muttered.

"No you didn't! And by the way your face just flushed, I'm not answering a damn thing until you read the sex one."

"It's not a sex one!" Elena shouted indignantly, her face flushing from anger rather than lust now. "Why are you being such a dick about this?"

"Why are _you_ being such a prude?!" The room went silent at his words, the last one in particular hitting Elena like a knife to the gut. Elena's head bowed down as she heard Damon heave a sigh. In her lap, the sheet of questions was crumpled from her frustration so she went to work at smoothing it out.

"Ele-" Damon started.

"Your best friend confesses that she has feelings for you more than friendship. She is falling in love with you. What do you say?" Elena was monotone as she read the question and the words filled the uncomfortable silence of his bedroom. It was a dare when she lifted her head and looked into his eyes.

She'd avoided the question for a reason: it hit too close to home. She and Damon had been doing whatever this was for over a month now, and it hadn't gone anywhere. They hadn't slept together; only sloppy make outs and spontaneous hookups dotted their time together. She was fairly sure given their severe lack of _actual_ sexual intercourse that they could be called friends with benefits. But intermixed with all of those casual encounters had been moments of true emotional intimacy as well.

Like that one day in November where it hadn't been obscenely cold and he'd swept her away for a picnic on a secluded hill. He'd even packed a basket filled with wine, cheese, and crackers. This wasn't what you did for a "friend," right? But nothing major had happened. No giant confession of love or even "would you like to be my girlfriend?" They'd just eaten, talking and laughing and ignoring the giant elephant in the room. And they damned well deserved some sort of award for how well they'd been doing it.

Elena didn't know how to start the conversation even if she tried. In fact, she'd made a desperate attempt to get the ball rolling one evening when they'd gone for a night drive. Instead of talking to him while he drove, they'd just sat in comfortable silence, listening to the radio and staring straight ahead. Once Damon had pulled over, she'd gotten too cold and… well, that was the night Damon had first gotten to second base.

But the worst part of that conversation was trying to figure out what exactly it was she needed to convey. They definitely needed to hop off the "just friends who make-out" train. It didn't seem right. But what next step up was there? Was it love? It was a question Elena had asked herself a million times every night. She'd gone as far as to do those dumb quizzes she found online. And her results kept coming back fifty-fifty. "Maybe, maybe not." But you can't just tell someone that you _maybe_ love him. It wasn't fair.

What scared her most was whether he was even into the idea of the whole relationship thing. He'd never brought it up. In fact, she'd never heard him _once_ mention that he'd even been in a relationship before. She highly doubted that was the case given his age and experience, but she was far more afraid that if she brought up the "hey let's be boyfriend and girlfriend" talk, he'd laugh in her face like she was a needy middle school girl. And her fear of rejection was much too strong to be the first to say it aloud.

So here they sat: in this holding pattern with little communication. She knew it wasn't healthy. She'd never even established boundaries, like how far they could go given that for her it was a far more serious issue. She just hoped he wouldn't pressure into something she didn't feel comfortable with. But clearly, if he considered her a prude, it wasn't working out the way she planned.

Elena was new at this and so far she sucked… bad.

They'd been locked in each other's stare for too long, the moment growing more and more tense as the seconds ticked by. But both were "saved" so to speak by the door swinging open.

"Aha!" Caroline screeched and then groaned. Both Damon and Elena were ripped out of their uncomfortable positions, each whipping their heads around and trying to place their bodies as far away from each other as possible. "Damnit," she cried. She turned her head around, shouting down the hall. "The only things they're fucking with are their eyes."

That was another thing the pair weren't talking about: the rest of the house. They'd never made any formal announcement of "We jumped each other on Halloween" to the group and had never made any mention on the subject thus far. But the rest of the group seemed to go ahead and just assume that they were together. Caroline, apparently to distract herself from her own problems, had made it her mission to find proof of the pair's couplings, but had yet to be successful. Typically Damon would ream her out for doing something like flinging the door open unannounced, but his mind was obviously in a whole other place right then.

"Come on, bitch," Caroline motioned. "Let's go. I'm about to _die_ of hunger."

Elena giggled awkwardly. "Always the terms of endearment, Care."

"Yeah yeah, you fat whore," Caroline grumbled. "Tell me more at the restaurant."

Elena got off of the bed and tried to locate the things she'd left on the floor. But the male voice that rang out next to her made her entire body tense.

"Caroline, can you give us a minute? Please?"

Caroline waggled her eyebrows at the pair. "Oh, of course. I just hope for Elena's sake you can go longer than a minute." The blonde winked and closed the door behind her. Apparently she could forgo hunger if it meant her friend was getting laid.

Elena hesitatingly turned towards Damon, but he stayed in his position silently, as though still caught in his own head. Elena rolled her eyes in frustration. This conversation was never going to happen and she needed to realize it sooner rather than later. Instead, she turned back around, sitting with her back towards him on the bed and began pulling on her over-the-knee boots. Of course, this would be the one time they just wouldn't go on easily.

Elena yanked as hard as she could, but she continually kept losing her grip, the boots refusing to budge on her foot. With an already high level of contempt flowing through her veins, she lost her patience quickly. "God damnit!" She shouted, chucking the boot at the floor and leaning her head in her hands.

Within the second, Damon had slid right behind her and regardless of her anger she couldn't fight the urge to lean back into this warm, strong body. His arms skimmed down hers, wrapping around her as she placed her head against his chest. "I'm sorry," he murmured quietly. "I shouldn't have been such an asshole about it."

Elena shook her head slowly back and forth. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have acted so childish." Although Elena knew she had to leave, it took her a while to work up the energy to actually pull herself away. Before she could stand though, Damon planted the lightest of kisses on the top of her head. _Yeah, friends her ass._

Elena went to collect the abused boot and sat back down on the bed, making sure she was at least a few inches away from him. Thankfully, this time the boots slid up with ease.

"How late do you think you'll be out with the girls?" Damon asked quietly, his tone a little more confident after their mutual apologies.

"Um, not late at all, I think," Elena replied, turning to look at him. "It should be just a quick lunch."

"Do you think you might want to come with me somewhere tonight?" Damon was practically blushing. It was as if he were a thirteen-year-old boy asking a girl to the middle school dance. Silly given that it was nearly impossible for Elena to say no to him.

"Yeah, of course. Where are we going?"

Damon's smirk came back with a vengeance. "Strictly confidential, I'm afraid. And because I can read your mind, wear something for hot weather."

Elena's expression turned mischievous as she stood up. "Damon, you don't have to fly me to a tropical island to prove how rich you are," she teased.

"We're not flying anywhere. Just be ready at 4, alright?"

Elena was curious as to why she would need to be dressed for warm weather given that the typical temperature was around thirty-five degrees Fahrenheit on a warm day, but she decided to ignore it. She grabbed her purse and placed her bold, colorful scarf around her neck and her cat eye sunglasses on her head. She was about to leave, but something in Damon's expression made her hesitant. He still looked as though he was terrified she hated him.

Elena leaned down, pulling his chin towards her and placed a chaste kiss on his warm lips. "Write something great for me, alright?" She murmured, a small smile across her own face.

"For you, anything."

* * *

Elena stood waiting in the foyer at 3:55, anxious to figure out why tonight was so different. Although there hadn't been any verbal indication that it was such, Damon's manner and expression made her think otherwise.

Even though she was standing in the well-heated house, she still shivered in her flimsy outfit. She did have to admit that it was nice not to wear something that was wool, fleece, or down. She'd tucked a simple white tank top into a teal maxi skirt, one with a long slit on the side to expose her now not-quite-as-tan leg. Along with a belt, layered necklaces, and sky-high woven wedges, Elena looked like she was going to a beach party. Hopefully, Damon hadn't been exaggerating.

Elena was getting lost in her own head when Damon startled her by walking out of the study rather than down the stairs. He sidled up next to her, familiarly running his hand down her bare arm and admiring her outfit. "Damon Salvatore, were you working?" Elena asked mockingly.

"Believe me, I'd much rather be working on a film than writing this damn book, but unfortunately, I don't have a choice in the matter. Ready to go?" He asked, offering his arm.

"Of course." Elena braced herself as the cold air hit her like shards of glass. She said a quick prayer of gratitude that the car was only a few feet away from the stairs, yet it still felt like miles when she was dressed so improperly. Once in the limo, Elena couldn't help but slide in directly next to Damon, attempting to maintain some bodily warmth.

"I swear to God, Damon, if you're screwing me with this whole 'dress for hot weather' thing, I will kill you in your sleep," she spit out, her teeth chattering.

Damon chuckled, wrapping his arms around her and sliding them up and down quickly in an effort to produce heat from the friction. "You're a violent little thing, aren't ya?" When she glared at him, he laughed again. "Don't worry. Once you figure out where we're going, you'll be glad I warned you."

Elena let herself relax into his firm body, allowing his hands and the blasting heat of the back seat to unthaw her. Their driver, a new one for their last month in the Alps, sped along in the remaining daylight hours, heading towards their unknown destination.

They pulled over on the side of the road only twenty minutes later. Elena peered out of the car but was only able to see a wide-open field from her seat. At Damon's prodding, she stepped out of the car and into the blustery wind. This time, Damon didn't hesitate to wrap his arm around her.

Elena stared ahead at the monstrosity she could now clearly see. It looked like a mini version of the log cabin, except for it was probably only the size of her bedroom and two of its walls were made out of clear glass. It was about two stories off the ground, but it had steps leading up to its door.

"Damon, what is this?"

"I don't really think it has a title," he replied, moving forward as quickly as her wedges could carry her. "But it has a great view."

They both clambered up the steps, given that Damon was just as motivated as she was to get warm with his t-shirt and jeans. He pulled a key out of his pocket and held the door open for Elena. Yep, she was definitely grateful for the flimsy attire.

The large room on stilts, so to speak, was around 75 degrees, and held a breathtaking view of the sunset. It was sparsely furnished, just some soft blankets and pillows to watch the warm-toned sky and a small couch if that wasn't comfortable enough. Near the door, on one of the log walls, was a bar area and mini-fridge.

Elena walked forward, placing herself only an inch from the glass, her breath catching once again at what she was able to see. She looked to her right and saw one more of the odd buildings a little ways down, but it was pitch black, indicating that it wasn't occupied.

"Damon, this is incredible," she murmured, turning back to the man who was already behind the bar checking out the selection.

"Yeah, I read about it in one of the girl's magazines downstairs." Elena pursed her lips in amusement. "Don't judge. I had some insomnia. You can rent it for the afternoon or night. Apparently, after the sun sets, you also get a great view of the stars. Plus, I thought you'd appreciate the warmth."

"When did you decide we would do this?" Elena asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Uh, about five seconds before I asked you," Damon replied, refusing to look directly at her. "I mean, I'd thought about taking you a couple times, but I just felt like I needed to make it up to you for being such a dick and-"

"Hey," Elena interrupted softly. She walked towards the wooden countertop and grabbed his hand pulling him out from behind it. "I promise I'm not mad at you. I forgave you the second you apologized." That was partially a lie. She'd actually forgiven him the second she'd sunk into his embrace. Elena lightly danced her fingers in his open palms. "And even if I hadn't, the second you took my goose bumps away with this heating system, you were more than good." Elena leaned up, capturing his smile with a deep and drugging kiss. She allowed her tongue to slide along his own and grasped the back of his neck, playing with the hair she could reach. Damon's hands smoothed over her lower back and hip, pulling her slightly closer to him. Elena was amazed how near dizzying his kisses were and as she felt him slightly backing her up towards the bed-like area set up on the floor, she hesitated in reminding herself what her priority was.

Somewhere between his bedroom and there, Elena had decided they needed to talk, and she meant _really_ talk. They were only hurting themselves if they continued to ignore the elephant in the room and the small cabin they were in definitely couldn't fit it. The craziest part of the "what are we?" talk that Elena had neglected to consider until only a few hours earlier was also the most important: at the end of the month, Elena was going to ruin any chance of them _being_ anything.

The new deadline had arrived via a not-so-kindly worded email from Victoria the day prior. She wanted the book to make the end of the quarter so it was now getting a rush deal. That meant by Christmas, Elena needed to have a fully done manuscript in Victoria's hands. By the spring, it would have its release date and Elena would, hopefully, be as far away from the Originals as possible.

It was a bitch move (not unlike every other move she made lately), but she didn't think she had a choice. At some point once they got back to LA, Elena would break up with Damon, telling him that they weren't right for each other regardless of how much she believed the contrary, and step away without an ounce of communication. He'd learn soon enough why she did what she did. Well, he'd learn why she broke up with him. It stung more than anything that he'd never learn why she'd had to write the book in the first place.

She called herself a million names a day for trying to have something with Damon knowing their imminent doom and knowing how much more it would hurt. She was fighting the infamous battle between head and heart, yet she felt like no matter who won, she'd lose.

"Damon," she murmured, pulling back from him, a smile lighting up her face. Thankfully, Damon didn't put much effort into convincing her to continue and instead grabbed champagne for the both of them so they could watch the sunset.

Given that it was winter, the sun set around five and the moment it did, the entire room was aglow from the dim lighting hidden in the vaulted ceilings. While they were waiting for the stars to appear, Elena grew curious of something mentioned earlier.

"Why are you pushing yourself so hard to write this book now?" She asked. She turned on her side on the blankets, Damon stretched out next to her as he stared at the dark sky. "I mean, your whole family is crazy for writing these books so early in your career. You know that, right?"

"It's the right time, Elena," he said back, no hint of patronizing in his tone.

"It doesn't seem like it is," Elena replied. "You've had trouble opening up to me about a lot of things since the beginning. Of course, you've come a long way, but you still don't have it, your one big dirty secret. And I feel like you should wait until you're ready to write about it."

"It's not _my_ secret to tell." Damon wouldn't look her directly in the eye. Elena sighed, delicately pushing a strand of his hair across his forehead so that he would.

"If it's affecting you this strongly, I think it is," she murmured.

She watched Damon as he fought to determine whether he was ready to speak the words out loud. Elena knew this was something he'd been warring over for quite some time. So she waited, letting him decide where his emotional boundaries lay.

"I talked to Stefan… He gave me his permission. He said I didn't need it, but that it was polite of me to ask." _Okay, a step forward_, Elena thought. _She'd take it._

"I'm assuming you don't have permission from your parents," she anticipated.

Damon let out a bitter scoff. "Yeah, I think not having their blessing has always been the issue." There he was, sitting on the precipice of speaking or not. And Elena wanted it for him so desperately because she knew it was something he'd never done before. Thinking back on her own secret, she could only imagine how painful it would be to speak it aloud.

Elena could practically feel him break the barrier. "Can you believe my family actually used to get along? Like really get along? I'm talking sitcom style, dinners and vacations, sit on the couch and watch the same movie kind of get along." He hesitated, needing provocation.

"What changed that?" Elena inquired quietly, as though speaking any louder would cause him to retreat into his shell once again.

"Me, shockingly enough," he replied sarcastically. More waiting as he gathered his thoughts.

"When I was twelve, Stefan was only three. He was a huge crybaby, always whining about something or another. There was a week where Bernie was on vacation and we were stuck with some half-assed nanny who couldn't have cared less about us. Far more excited to call all of her friends on our landline and tell them that she was in the Salvatore mansion. That day, Stefan was whining about how he wanted to go outside, but it was pouring rain. So I just locked him in his room so I didn't have to deal with him."

"I was wandering around the house, not really a purpose in mind. I mean, hell, I wasn't even in middle school and I was a boy. We're born asking for trouble. My parents shared this giant office, my dad working on his films, my mom helping to write them." Damon shook himself out of his retelling and turned to look at Elena, winking. "Clearly the Salvatore men have a thing for writers."

When Elena only replied with a soft smirk, he continued. "Well, anyways, I was only allowed in there when I was supervised so I, of course, had to go in and be a badass about it." He took a deep breath, preparing himself for a critical part of the story. "I was searching through some drawers and found evidence that my parents… that they had bribed the Academy to win some of their awards."

Elena's mouth went dry. "Wait, the Academy as in…"

Damon finished her sentence. "The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences? Yup. They basically rigged the Oscars three different times."

Elena's eyes bulged. "But… why?"

"Because my dad made three films that were good, but not good enough. The competition was stricter, people weren't as quick to give the Salvatore men awards… He got freaked out that he was going to lose his fucking manhood or something if he was the first to break the streak so he… he bought off the main guys."

"I didn't even think that was possible," Elena murmured.

"Yeah, well with my dad's connections, anything was. I didn't tell anyone about it at the time, just kind of put the stuff back in the drawer and left. But I was an idiot and my parents got pissed at me for skipping class or something equally pointless and I just… After they grounded me, I came in my dad's office all serious that night. He thought I was coming to apologize but instead… I told him I knew and that I was going to release the information unless he took away my punishment." Damon scoffed. "Guess bribery runs in the family."

Elena could near instantly tell where this was going and simultaneously reached her hand out to grasp his forearm in sympathy. "He punched me so hard I hit the wall. Told me he should disown me for even considering it." Damon picked some lint off of the blanket, keeping his eyes straight up. "From then on, any affection my parents showed me was for the public appearance. Behind closed doors, I was dead to them."

"They were and still are just scared. Mom and Dad just decide to mask it by hating me. I told Stefan one night when he was older and I was really pissed and he just kind of… accepted it. I mean, don't get me wrong, he doesn't like the way they treat me, but it's a sore spot in our relationship regardless."

Elena nodded her head, digesting all of the information. She wasn't sure where to start with her questions, so she went with the first one that came to mind. "Am I the first person besides your family to know about this?"

Damon almost looked sad as he shook his head. "Ah, no. The rest of the Originals know. Word got around quickly in our circle and someone had to explain the strain." Damon sat up, finally turning his gaze towards the brunette to his right. "That's why they didn't jump to help you at the dinner. My parents know that they know and they've basically threatened to destroy everything they've worked for if they spill."

Elena swallowed. "I don't understand. Why wouldn't you tell someone now? I understand that you were scared as a boy and with perfectly good reason, but you've been an adult for a decade now. Once you take them down, you destroy any chance they have of enacting vengeance."

"I can't… I can't do that to Stefan." Elena's eyes widened in her surprise. She hadn't been expecting that answer. "Look, as much as my parents hate me, and vice versa, they love Stefan. And once they go down, the whole Salvatore name goes down with them. Our awards will be revoked, our accolades stripped away. Our entire family, every generation, will become a joke. I think _I_ could handle it. Start from the ground up, you know? But I don't think Stefan could." Damon's face held a sad smile. "Another great Salvatore trait is loyalty. And I don't think I'm strong enough to handle being the one that rips our family apart. Regardless of right or wrong. You know what I mean?"

Ripping people apart? Clearly Elena _was_ strong enough to do that or she wouldn't be in the position she was in. Elena gulped, feeling her eyes prick with tears. The words on the tip of her tongue were regrettable, but she spoke them anyway.

"Damon, no matter what you choose, I will always be here for you."

Damon nodded his head and Elena suddenly realized how subconsciously close they'd drawn. He was only a hair's breadth away from her lips, his breath fanning out across her already warm face. "Thank you," he murmured. And then his lips hit hers and Elena threw all caution to the wind.

What began as a sweet, romantic kiss turned desperate and carnal quickly. Elena remembered back to the night where Damon had asked her for her turn-ons and now she was fairly sure she'd established one of them: emotional intimacy. Because for some damn reason, Damon sharing his dark secret made her far more eager to rip off all of his clothes. Or maybe it was simply the overly romantic setting of the heated log cabin in the sky. Elena didn't particularly care, as long as Damon kept doing that thing with his tongue.

With one hand on his jaw, Elena's other hand slid down his neck to his collarbone, resting underneath the thin cotton t-shirt. As Damon's lips pressed their bruising force down her own jaw, Elena scooted herself closer to him, desperate for more contact. He took the hint, sliding her back down onto the blanket and positioning himself to hover over top of her, placing warm kiss upon warm kiss in various places on her neck, each one producing an embarrassing amount of noise from her lips.

Elena yanked his shirt out of his pants, hating the quick second that his lips had to halt their actions in order for it to come over his head. She matched his grin as his own mouth met hers again, but she felt the familiar beginnings of nervousness start to hit her. They'd gotten to the topless part before, but her fingers still slightly shook as she ran them over his firm muscles.

Damon clearly wanted to play the game of tit-for-tat and yanked off the purely for fashion belt around her waist and chucked it to the side. Impatiently, he tugged up the simple white tank, this time allowing it to only be thrown so far as the side of her head. Although Elena had learned early on not to wear her plainer undergarments whenever she planned to see Damon, she was far too grateful for her decision to put on a black and white lace strapless bra underneath her ensemble. She was also far too grateful that she'd spent the money on the push-up variety.

Damon's lips migrated down her neck, pressing open-mouth kisses in the spots he knew made her melt. But she suddenly caught Damon making a new discovery. One summer during high school, Elena had gotten a terrible sunburn whilst wearing an itsy bitsy bikini and her entire chest had flared up. All that was left, other than an ugly tan-line that faded after a few months, was a small freckle directly on the firm plate of bone in between her breasts.

Damon dragged his index finger straight down the middle of her cleavage, gliding over the center of her bra and causing her to squirm in her position. Once Damon registered the area's sensitivity, he leaned down, placing another wet kiss directly on top of the freckle and flicked his tongue out to cover it for a split second.

Elena arched her chest sharply, one hand pushing down on Damon's shoulder to bring him closer while the hand embedded in his hair seemed to pull him away. But her pleasure from his touch wasn't strong enough to mask the much larger emotions fighting their way in: guilt and fear.

How could she make a promise like that? How could she make any promises to him? As Damon smoothed his hands down her body, Elena had a running ticker of every shitty decision she'd made running through her head. She couldn't believe how selfish she was being. Although she knew she couldn't take back her agreement to do the book, she shouldn't be attempting something with him when its future was already determined to end in failure.

And she was going to hurt him. The book would hurt him no matter what, but if she continued to be this selfish and grow closer to him… Clearly he had to feel something for her if he'd shared something that personal, something he hadn't volunteered to anyone outside the Originals. Being this cruel to him… it wasn't right.

Another thought hit her like an icy chill, Damon's mouth now fixated on her collarbone, his hands now playing with her skirt. She couldn't sleep with him. Was this the most perfect place on the planet for her first time? It was up there. And Elena was fairly damn sure that she couldn't imagine a more perfect person, but she couldn't do that to herself. There was far too much emotional damage to be done and she couldn't allow it to get that far.

Words and images and self-destructive thoughts circled around Elena's head until she could barely register the miracles Damon was performing on her body. _You can't do this, _her mind repeated over and over again_. You can't do this to him. You can't do this to yourself. _

So when she finally recognized that Damon's hand had slid up the long slit in her skirt and was skimming the waistband of her underwear, she felt herself start to recoil. And as Damon's finger traced down over the wettest part of her, her stomach tightened and not because of lust.

"Damon, stop!" She cried out, pushing herself up as much as her weak body could allow. Damon's eyes grew with panic as Elena clutched her nearly bare chest. He realized quickly he'd been misinterpreting her quick breath as a sign of arousal.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Damon prodded, trying to determine whether he should scoot closer or further away.

"Is there-" Elena could barely speak over her panting. She couldn't get air in fast enough. Panic attack, she recognized. "Is there a-a… bathroom somewhere?"

"Yeah, just go down the stairs. It's underneath." Elena couldn't get away fast enough, ripping herself up and not even bothering to cover herself. She went as fast as her legs could carry her down to the small wooden outhouse positioned next to the stilts and ripped open the door just in time. The contents of her stomach spilled out into the basin, her emotional distress finally catching up to her physical being, the mantra of how terrible she was still repeating over and over again in her head.

Damon, as expected, had followed her down and now knelt behind her, trying as best as he could to pull her long hair back. "Elena," he murmured, picking up on the sobs intermixed with her hacking. After a few more coughing gags, Elena's body decided it had had enough and ceased its disposal. Damon held out wet paper towels that he must have prepared at some point during her vomiting. Although her stomach might have been empty, the uncontrollable thoughts were still running through her mind at full speed.

"Shh, Elena, I need you to try to slow your breath," Damon spoke firmly. He pulled her closer to him, maintaining full eye contact as he mimicked the action. "Come on, follow my lead." Elena's entire body shook, but she weakly did as he asked, inhaling and exhaling with him. Typically, her panic attacks took longer to get out of, but it had been awhile since her last. Maybe she was getting better at them… or maybe it was just Damon.

Once it passed over and she was simply left with the aftershocks, Damon pulled her into his side, continuing to smooth her hair and whisper various acknowledgements into her ear. Elena became fully aware of how disgusting she was and that she was only wearing a strapless bra and her skirt. Damon hadn't bothered to put on his shirt either.

"Do you think you can get back upstairs?" Damon asked. "I can take you back home if you want." Elena felt a part of her clench up at his referring to the cabin as home.

Elena shook her head. Although the panic was gone, the guilt was still there. She'd ruined what should have been a perfect evening. They should've have been wrapped up in blankets, basking in the glow of what they'd done together. Instead, Elena had them sitting on the floor of an outhouse, both equally unsatisfied. "No, no, we can stay. Just let me clean up."

Damon nodded his head, placing a kiss to her forehead and leaving her be. She could faintly hear him call the driver and ask him to bring something back, but she couldn't be sure what. Elena tried her hardest not to look at herself in the mirror, knowing her awful reflection would probably only cause more tears. She pulled her hair into a makeshift ponytail, leaning over the faucet to rinse her mouth out and then splashed some water on her face. The voice in the back of her head sounded like a menacing whisper.

_You ruin everything._

* * *

Elena presumed it was about eight in the morning. She was sitting up, her knees tucked up into her and her elbows resting on the tops. Damon was sound asleep next to her, surprisingly enough given how tight his vice grip had been over the night. Elena had barely slept so when she decided to stop trying, it had taken some strength to remove herself from his arms.

She'd spent all morning with her thoughts on full-speed. The night before replayed itself over and over again: the beautiful sunset, Damon revealing his family secret, their passionate session filled with _almosts_, and then, of course, her anxiety getting the best of her. She also recalled how Damon had handed her a toothbrush and one of his giant shirts to sleep in once she'd gotten back upstairs, clearly the package he'd asked the driver for.

Elena hated herself for being the cause of yet another unfinished encounter with Damon. She'd pushed him off countless times before when she determined she was ready to stop, but this felt different. She'd heard constantly throughout her abstinence-only sex classes that "if he truly loves you, he'll wait," and she got that, but she still felt like she was continually disappointing him. In fact, thirty minutes earlier, she'd been considering waking him up in a not-so-appropriate way to make up for it, but she couldn't bring herself to actually do it.

Damon stirred next to her and Elena tried not to allow her heart to clench at how adorable he looked with his scrunched up face and tired eyes. When he caught sight of her, she could see him as the memories of the previous night flooded back into his own brain. Yet for some reason, he still offered up a sleepy smile, reaching his hand out to run it down her arm. "Good morning," he murmured.

"Morning," she replied, a soft smile of her own unavoidable. Every bone in her body was urging her not to follow through with this plan, but her logic was telling her otherwise. She needed to keep at least one part of her life on the right side of the morality line.

After allowing Damon to wake up for a few minutes, she took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she needed to say. "Hey, can I talk to you about something?" Yeah, it sounded a lot more calm and mature in her head.

Damon nodded, his eyes almost alight with something that looked like excitement. "Actually," he drawled, sitting up. Elena couldn't draw her eyes away as the blanket slid down his six-pack. "I wanted to talk to you, too. I-"

"I think we should just be friends!" Elena exclaimed abruptly, cutting him off before he could finish his thoughts.

She knew biologically that it wasn't possible for her heart to actually descend, but Elena could swear she felt it sink like a stone deep into the pits of her chest. Damon's once excited eyes were filled with a disappointment unmatched by anything she'd seen before. In fact, if she was going to be unrealistic about it, he looked heartbroken. A nauseous feeling hit her again as she realized that maybe what he'd wanted to discuss was the exact opposite of her conversation. Maybe he'd been planning on having the same talk Elena had longed for only hours earlier.

"Wh-why?" Damon finally sputtered out. "What changed?! Elena, I'm sorry if I pushed you too far last night, I just-"

"No!" Elena cried out. "No, don't think that. The panic attack wasn't because of what we were doing, I promise."

"Then…" Elena had never realized that a baffled expression could be so heart wrenching. "What happened?"

This was the part, even after hours of consideration, that Elena hadn't been ready for. She couldn't tell him that she didn't have feelings for him because that was just complete and utter bullshit. And she couldn't bring herself to tell _another_ lie. Whatever she was going to say had to be honest.

"I don't want to do this," Elena consented bitterly. "But I just think it's better if we stop now. Before anything bad happens."

Damon's confusion was starting to turn into slight anger and Elena accepted it wholeheartedly. Because right now, she wasn't making any sense, forging a complete 180 in her previous actions. She had no reasonable evidence that they should stop whatever it was they were doing…. Well, at least, none that she could tell him. It was out of the blue and unexpected and just felt wrong.

The knife in Elena's gut twisted even more as Damon suddenly got up and started packing up their stuff. Elena tried to push back the tears that were quickly forming in her eyes. "Damon," she murmured. "Talk to me."

"I don't really think there's anything to talk about, Elena," he responded firmly, jamming stuff into the bag their driver had brought up. Clearly, I got my signals crossed on where we were going so I don't think I have anything left to say."

"Damon, please don't be mad at me," she cried.

"I'm not mad, Elena!" Damon shouted, but then realized how contradictory his actions were. "I just… I thought we were going somewhere. I wouldn't have…"

"What?!" Elena yelled back. She didn't have the right to raise her voice at him, but she was doing it anyway, her insecurities once again getting the best of her. "You wouldn't have invited me to stay if you'd known I was never going to put out?!"

Damon put down the bag and came over to her, grabbing her hands and pulling them up to his chest, forcing eye contact. Although the gesture was intimate, Elena could sense his frustration still underneath the surface. "Don't think that," Damon warned, repeating Elena's own words. "I invited you here because I couldn't imagine not spending time with you." He visibly softened, noting the tears in her eyes. "I hope you… I hope you didn't think you had to do anything with me out of obligation or owing me something."

Elena shook her head back and forth. "No, no, I wanted to," she reassured. Elena's eyes flickered down to his lips and she leaned in subconsciously, gently kissing him. But, once again, the feel of him so close to her made her weak as he deepened the kiss, slowly sliding his tongue along hers. She gasped into it, even arching her chest into his. But as his hand tangled in her hair, Elena worked up the strength to pull away.

"Damon," she breathed. "We can't."

Damon nodded, looking over her head. "Right. Just friends."

Elena stepped away, moving to change out of his large shirt, when Damon yanked her wrist back. His eyes were fierce with passion as he said words that provided the final jerk of the knife.

"Elena, don't underestimate how hard it is for me to accept this."

Elena gulped, nodding her head.

_Me too, Damon. Me fucking too._

* * *

Elena approached her door at the house, leaning her head against it in exhaustion. The ride back had been uncomfortably silent and when she'd thanked him in the foyer, he'd only responded with a nod of the head. He had every right to be upset with her, but having just a taste of his disappointment terrified her of what was surely to come.

Elena sighed, turning the doorknob, ready to collapse onto her bed and get some much needed sleep. But instead, Elena's eyes caught sight of midnight black stilettos and then a long pair of legs wrapped in skin-tight jeans draped across her comforter. The woman's dark brown hair cascaded over Elena's pillows and in her manicured hands she held a small notebook. A notebook that Elena recognized immediately.

"Dear diary," Her voice was mocking, yet still filled with calculated cruelty. "My mind has been trapped in this _agony_ for weeks. Today, Anna confided in me that she'd had an abortion in high school and I had to put it in Victoria's book! She's typically so private and I had barely any information on her. I hate being _such_ a bitch but I just don't know what else to do." Accusing brown eyes lifted to meet Elena's.

Elena swallowed, every nerve ending in her body electrified in fear.

"Katherine."

**Dun dun dun. :) **

**What did we think about this chapter? I really wanted you all to have a chance to see what Damon and Elena are like in a relationship, even if they wouldn't admit that's what it was. I know there was a lot of action packed into this chapter, but I hate giving you such long hiatuses and I felt guilty.**

**I don't enjoy causing so many problems for these characters, but I found a quote by Kurt Vonnegut earlier this month that perfectly described how I feel: "Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them - in order to see what they are made of." I've never been able to put this into words, so I'm so glad I found it. I just want my characters to reach their full potential, and sometimes they have to be tested in order to do so.**

**So questions for you: 1) Did you enjoy the Delena fluff? How romantic was that "log cabin in the sky" before Elena ralphed? 2) What's your opinion on the big family secret? I'm glad you were able to get some insight into Damon and figure out why he and the rest of the family are the way they are. 3) Elena's panic attack? I know I've gotten some complaints over Elena's constant crying, and I don't particularly care to write her so weak, but she does have some deep-seated issues that lie beyond just this book debacle. As referenced near the panic attack scene, she's had more than one of those before and her anxiety isn't just a temporary thing. The good news for you all is that next chapter you'll get the full explanation as to why, aka Elena's dirty little secret. 4) Cliffhanger ending! What in the world do you think is going to happen next?**

**Okay, I love you all so so so much. I'm such a lucky person to get to write this story for you all. ****Feel free to follow me on my Tumblr (ninadobsession) now that the season is back in session so you can hear me act like a complete idiot over my babies on the show.**

**PS. I wrote this chapter way before the bloodsharing scene in 4x02 and I'm so shocked by how many similarities they're were with the episode and this chapter. The vomiting, the comforting, the stroking of the hair, even the same lines...idk I'm probably reading too much into it. But GAH BLOODSHARING WAS PERFECT.**


	15. Chapter 15: Never Been Enough

**What's this? An update so soon?! Well, aren't I just the kindest person ever. Note that this is my first ever update as an ADULT since my 18th birthday was the day before Halloween. Hmm... wasn't that Elena's birthday in the fic? ;)**

**A few notes from the last chapter: 1) the formatting. I'm terribly sorry the whole last chapter was all Italics. I definitely didn't do that myself so I'm assuming it's just a FF mistake, but I didn't notice it until days and days later. It definitely made it a headache to read so for those of you that still did, you rock.**

**2) Reviews. Ugh. This was something I did NOT want to have to discuss for this story. I've been blown away countless times with the amount of reviews this story has gotten in the past. This is my absolute most reviewed story and I'm glad you all have taken the time to review. Unfortunately, the number of reviews per chapter has dropped drastically recently. Like half the number it used to get. Look, I understand. I'm not updating as frequently as I used to and I also am unable to reply to your reviews, but... To write these chapters for you all while I'm in college means I'm using five to six hours of time I could be using to study or work or even just have a good time to make something FOR YOU ALL. And what I need most, the only thing that truly benefits me through writing this story, is getting your reviews. I don't care if it's one word. I don't even care if you tell me it sucks. Just please try to leave reviews. I recently calculated with the last chapter that only 1 percent of those that read reviewed. ONE PERCENT. I don't like being this type of girl and I rarely ever am... but we only have three chapters left after this one. So please, if you can, take the extra minute or two and let me know whether you hate it or not. I'd really appreciate it.**

**Alright onto a much lighter note... Oh wait just kidding ANGST ALERT. I'm feeling incredibly angsty about Delena lately. We just seem to be getting so much good stuff with them on the show that I'm just sitting around waiting for the bad. (Very pessimistic shipper, yes I know.) So I kind of released my worry into the story and bam. So just hoping you all experience the same amount of feelz I did when I wrote.**

* * *

Chapter 15: Never Been Enough

And here we are rebuilding roads  
right by roosting towns.  
It's just like the love,  
The one that's never been enough.

"_Lena, wake up!" Elena growled into her pillow, every fiber of her being abhorring the forceful yanks on her shoulder. "Come on, Lena. You promised you'd play with me today!"_

"_Go away, Jere!" The young girl cried, attempting to ignore his feeble fists as they tapped light rhythms into her skin. "I'll play with you later."_

"_No, Lena, now! I want you to play now!" Suddenly, the dull thuds on her shoulder were replaced with sharp, stinging pains, the boy now slapping her bare skin. And they weren't the slaps of a naïve seven year old. No, they hurt._

_Elena screamed in pain, squirming out of the bed and onto the floor, wincing as the icy cold air wrapped around her skin._

_The brown haired little boy's eyes lit up at the same time Elena realized she wasn't wearing any clothes. She vaguely remembered that her bed had been obscenely hot the night before and she'd taken off her nightgown and chucked it on the floor. In years past, being caught naked by a member of her family wouldn't have fazed her, but she was ten now and at the stage of her life where being caught in a situation like this was mortifying._

_Her brother began dancing in circles, screaming at the top of his lungs a made-up song while Elena desperately grabbed at her comforter to cover herself. "Elena's nakey, Elena's nakey!"_

"_Shut up!" Elena's eyes began to fill with hot tears and her face flushed in her humiliation. As Jeremy's song grew louder, Elena continued to scream at him from her position on the floor. "I'll kill you Jeremy! I swear. Shut up!"_

"_Elena! Jeremy!" Both of the children's eyes shot up as their mother appeared in the doorframe, shock on her face. "What in the world is going on?"_

_Jeremy continued his dance and song as Elena tried to shout over him, sobbing. "Jeremy started slapping me and now he won't stop singing his dumb song!"_

_Miranda finally picked up on the words her son was singing and kneeled in front of him, grabbing his shoulders to cease his movements. "Jeremy, now that's not a very nice song."_

_Jeremy giggled. "Elena was naked. I saw her wee-wee."_

"_Ew gross!" Elena cried. "I'm a girl, Jeremy. I don't have one of those!"_

_Miranda shot a silencing glance at her daughter, trying to rectify the situation as best she could. She turned her attention back to the child in her arms. "Remember how we talked about not saying mean things about other people?"_

"_You didn't say we couldn't sing them," Jeremy replied cheekily, sticking his tongue out._

_Miranda bit her lip. "No, I didn't but-"_

_She was cut off by a male voice downstairs. "Breakfast!"_

_Jeremy squealed, racing past his mother and straight down the stairs towards his dad. Elena watched her mother as she placed her head in her hands momentarily, taking a large deep breath, before standing up and crossing the room. She walked to the closet door, lifting her daughter's small purple robe off the hook, and chucking it in the girl's direction, making sure not to get too close so as to avoid any more unnecessary screaming._

"_Turn around," Elena sniffled, frustration running through her veins. The older woman sighed, placing her back towards the girl as she hastily pulled on the robe and crossed her arms. Once she sensed Elena was done, Miranda turned around._

"_Why didn't you make him say sorry?" Elena snapped._

_Miranda sat down on the bed, grabbing Elena by the hands and pulling her closer to her. "Sweetheart, sometimes we can only teach one lesson at a time with Jeremy. This morning, he needed to learn boundaries. Once he can handle that, we'll help him understand apologies."_

"_It's not fair! And it was yucky." Elena frowned._

"_I know, I know." Her mother paused, taking a deep breath. "Elena, you were blessed with a family that loves you dearly. But this family also has a little boy in it that doesn't always work at the same level we do. But he's getting better. Look how far he's come. And someday, you'll barely be able to notice the difference. But you have to be patient and understanding with him, even when you don't want to and even when it's hard."_

_Elena looked down at the ground. "How come I always have to be the one that has to be the good kid?"_

"_Because I know you're capable of it. And one day, you'll be the most patient and the most understanding woman I've ever met."_

_Elena stuck her bottom lip out. "I don't like being good all the time. It's hard."_

_Miranda chuckled, pushing a wayward strand of the girl's hair out of her face. "It is hard. I know. Your dad and I have a lot of days where we don't want to work hard at it either." Elena's eyes grew to saucers as she looked up at her mom. "Don't look so surprised. We're human, too."_

"_So how do you always do it?" Elena breathed._

_Miranda bit her lip. "I'm not perfect, sweetie. But I have a trick. Wanna learn it?"_

_Elena rapidly bobbed her head up and down, eliciting another laugh from her mother. "Alright. Whenever you feel like you're going to explode, like you want to scream… just take three deep breaths. Everything feels better after three deep breaths."_

_Elena's gaze was cautious, but she nodded her head in understanding. "That's my favorite daughter," Miranda murmured._

_Elena groaned. "Mom! I'm your only daughter."_

"_Doesn't mean you can't be my favorite," Miranda winked, both giggling._

_Little feet stomping their way down the hall and racing into the next room interrupted their sweet moment. Miranda smiled. "Will you go play with your brother now? He's been looking forward to it ever since he got home." Elena nodded again as Miranda pressed a kiss to her forehead and exited the room._

_Elena's feet padded into the carpet as she went into her brother's room. He was sitting on the floor, his train set out as he speedily ran the cars along the track. The toy was meant for a boy half his age, but Jeremy wasn't in a place where he could play with anything more advanced._

"_Can I join you?" Elena asked softly, plopping down on the opposite side of him._

"_Yep, you can have the blue train and I'll be red." Elena bit her lip, stopping herself from arguing that, because he was a boy, he should have blue. Her mother's words were sitting at the forefront of her mind and she didn't want to be the bad kid. She wanted to be good, for her._

_They played in silence for a few minutes, each on their own sections of the wooden track, when Jeremy purposely and abruptly slammed his train into Elena's, smashing her fingers in the process._

"_Ow, Jeremy!" She cried. "That hurt!"_

"_Don't run your stupid train into mine!" The boy grumbled, picking the toy up to add a few more cars._

_The girl balked. "Jeremy, you ran your train into mine! That was your fault." She rubbed her slightly sore fingers. "And don't say stupid. It's not a nice word."_

_Jeremy slowly lifted his head up from his tinkering to regard his upset sister. Almost as if in slow motion, she watched him lift his arm up and fling the dense object in his hand directly at her, his blank expression not shifting for a second. The train was mostly wood, but the sharp metal edge was what hit her directly in her cheekbone._

_As the small cars fell to a heap on the floor, Jeremy simply picked another set out of his box and continued working as though he hadn't just chucked the previous one towards his sister's eye. Elena's entire face scrunched up. This hurt far more than the slaps had. This was a searing pain that would have caused anyone to burst into tears. _

_As some tears escaped and ran down her cheeks, she stayed silent, her brother still ignoring her. She thought back to that morning, how crying had only gotten her in trouble, Jeremy receiving absolutely no repercussions. It wasn't fair. If she told her Mom, he'd get off scot-free. He probably wouldn't even have to apologize. She'd probably get yelled at for provoking him. Her brain ran through the possibilities as her gaze went downwards._

_And then she was struck with an idea. An idea that would haunt her for the rest of her life. _

"Do you want me to continue," Katherine demurred. "Or do you get where this is going?"

Elena's hand fumbled out for the doorframe in support, a move that made Katherine smirk in pride. She was caught. The one person in this house who'd never showed too much affection towards her had caught her. And that meant that Elena wasn't going to get away with a simple warning slip.

Her mind worked rapidly in an attempt to come up with something to say, but she was at a loss. An apology wouldn't do any good given that it wouldn't sound very sincere. Denial was pointless. What about just falling to the floor and breaking down in tears? Every option sounded trivial when you had Katherine Pierce staring you down.

The only response that came to mind was a childish one, but it fell from her lips nonetheless. "You read my journal?" Elena spluttered, her voice not as strong as she'd hoped.

Katherine bitterly laughed, pushing herself off the bed and slowly stalking towards Elena. "Oh my god. You're like the cheating boyfriend who gets pissed that you read his texts. Newsflash, Elena: _your_ crime is a bit more serious than mine."

Elena grimaced, pulling the door closed behind her and praying no one had been passing by. Not that it would matter anyway. The game was over. She was finished. And she couldn't think of a damn thing to say.

"Not gonna talk? Alright, well let me," Katherine nearly hissed. She primly placed herself on the edge of Elena's bed, crossing her legs and arms simultaneously. "Back when you were dropped on your ass with the whole 'fuck the Original girls' thing, I _knew_ you were going to reach out to Victoria. Of course, the other girls wanted to believe the best in you and told me that there was no _way_ you could do something that cruel." Katherine's gaze was punishing, but Elena didn't remove herself from it. "As you can see, I wasn't moved by their optimism."

Like a delayed pain after a hit, Katherine's earlier words began to register. "Wait, you know Victoria?" Elena asked.

Katherine scoffed, casting a patronizing glare. "Oh, you're not such a special snowflake, Elena." She stood up, placing herself only a step or two from the other girl. "You don't think every single one of us has gone around the ring once or twice with that bitch?"

Elena's eyes widened in realization. Victoria had worked with each one of the Original girls. _That's_ why she knew so much. Every odd, unexplainable detail was falling into place. "So… you- you were going to write a book for her, too?"

"Hell, I reached out to her," Katherine replied without a hint of shame. "I was the first Original girl in here. I was young and selfish and spoiled. I didn't give a _shit_ about ghost writing some dumb autobiography for an overpaid douchebag. So I called her. We struck a deal: I wrote a tell-all for her, she'd make me super famous and rich. Every Original girl after that was made the same offer and every single one of them took it at some point or another. I knew when she realized you were her last chance, she'd get desperate."

Elena stammered, still not believing this. "But… but you all didn't go through with it. None of you all actually wrote it. Why?"

Finally: something that actually threw Katherine. The dark-haired woman looked stunned. But her face turned to something that appeared more like disgusted disbelief. "Because… we fell in love."

The words were stated so simply; it was as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. How could they hurt someone they were in love with? For some unknown reason, Elena felt another tug in her chest.

Katherine continued, shaking her head and turning away to sit back on the bed. "Obviously, that's not the case in your situation." Elena wanted to snap back a denial, but the words were stuck in her mouth as she registered what she'd be admitting. And she wasn't sure if she was ready to do that.

"Maybe if you all had started dating sooner," Katherine continued.

"We're not…. we're not together." Katherine's eyes shot up in confusion. "We never really were." The words tasted bitter.

"How is that even possible? You two are mentally dry humping each other every time you're in the same room."

"I couldn't do it. I tried, but it felt too wrong." Elena couldn't believe she was confiding in this woman who clearly wanted to see her destroyed. But she hadn't been able to talk to a soul about this and she wasn't going to allow herself to miss the opportunity. "I felt sick to my stomach from the guilt." Elena grimaced at the truth in her words.

Katherine was studying her intensely, the room only filled with the sound of Elena's shaky breathing. After a few silent moments, she finally spoke. "Just because you have a conscience doesn't mean I'm any less judgmental."

Elena knew she deserved that, but another leftover thought was still bothering her. "You read _everything_?"

Realization crossed over Katherine's face, but she did nothing to correct her. "So that means you know _everything_…. You know why I'm doing this." It was a statement of fact, not a question.

Never in her life did Elena think she'd see Katherine cry, but she watched disbelievingly as her eyes grew wet. Elena's reasoning had been right. Even cold-hearted Katherine was broken at the idea of Stefan and Caroline's affair.

Elena waited as Katherine attempted to gain control of the situation again, sniffling and wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "It doesn't matter, Elena. None of it does." Elena watched as Katherine got up abruptly and started making her way to the door.

"Wait," Elena stuttered. "Wh-what does this mean? I just… If you're going to tell them, I'd like to be there."

Katherine's face crinkled in confusion. "I'm not going to tell them, Elena. This is your cross to bear." She began to exit again.

Elena was shocked. It wasn't possible. This had to be some sort of a trap. "Why wouldn't you tell them?! I mean… I have information on all of you. I have to publish it all."

Katherine slammed the half-open door and whirled around on Elena. "And you don't think some other psychotic girl a few months from now wouldn't do the exact same thing if I stopped you?! Victoria's life goal is to _tear us down_. She hates us. She hates how many times we've screwed her over. I tell the rest of the group, they kick you out, and then what?! Some other twit worms her way in and does the exact same thing." Katherine let out a shaky breath, trying to calm herself down. "All the girls are so delusional in believing that it's avoidable, but it's not. I'm tired of the fear and the anxiety of it all. If you're going to do it, at least it will be done."

Elena stared in wonder at the woman in front of her. Never in her life had she seen Katherine so exposed, so unhinged. It was unnerving. "So you're just going to let me do it… you're going to let me hurt Damon."

Katherine scoffed, her eyes flickering back to Elena. Elena could clearly see some of Katherine's strength was gained back. "I'm not one to put off the inevitable. If you're actually capable of hurting Damon this badly, I'd rather you do it now than a few years down the road." Elena gulped down the lump that was forming in her throat as Katherine went for the doorknob again. "Oh, and Elena?" Katherine continued.

"Don't overestimate his attachment to you. You're replaceable." And then she was gone.

Elena knew her words were spoken out of anger, but it didn't take away any of the sting.

* * *

Damon stepped down from the bathroom into his room, a button-down shirt and black jeans hastily thrown on his still damp body. He ran his hand through his wet hair and checked his phone to make sure he hadn't missed anything while giving his body second-degree burns from the shower water. Nothing. _Good_, he thought, turning the device off and chucking it onto his dresser. He was shutting himself up for the night, planning on drinking himself into a comatose stupor so he could get a good night's sleep. Or at least get his mind off of Elena's new decision.

He wasn't sure what upset him more: her spontaneous choice to stay friends with him or his ridiculous girly reaction to the news. When had he become Mr. Relationship guy? It was as if he was dying to chain himself up to her.

But no matter how many times he tried to tell himself it was only a sex thing, a testosterone-induced desire to win "the game," he couldn't bring himself there. He had to admit that he not only cared about Elena, but that his brain was starting to picture them in scenarios that involved shared pets and white-picket fences.

He groaned, the images filling his brain once more and yanked the glass decanter to his nightstand, propping himself up against his pillows. He poured a heftier serving than normal and took a large gulp, praying his strong tolerance didn't make an appearance that evening.

But before he could even finish his glass, he heard a loud thump and then a giggle outside of his door. His eyebrow cocked in confusion. Suddenly, his door shot open and there she was, the girl he'd actively been trying to avoid for the night.

"Are you drunk, too?" She cried, wobbling in her lace-up oxford wedges. "Twinzies!" Then she laughed… loud. _Holy shit_, Damon thought, placing his glass down on the table. The one time he'd actually seen Elena drunk was on her birthday, but that hadn't been a fun, easygoing kind of drunk. No, that was depression via intoxication, a process he was quite familiar with. Now he was seeing the no inhibitions, ready to party Elena and he wasn't quite sure how to feel about it.

He got up from the bed, going behind her to shut the door. She didn't need any witnesses to whatever display she was about to provide. He felt a warm hand wrap around his bicep, Elena giggling as she squeezed.

"I knew it. Really, really strong." She then awkwardly grabbed his hand and put it on her own bicep. "See me? Not so strong."

Damon lightly caressed her arm for a moment, letting his fingers dance over the cable-knit fabric without care. He also allowed himself to scan her body, trying to ignore how incredibly tight her navy sweater was over her breasts. Holy shit, he _was_ turning into a sap if he was actually calling them _breasts_ like he was a gentleman or something.

"Okay, Elena. How did this happen?"

Elena bit her lip, looking up at the ceiling as though it was the most difficult question she'd had to answer in months. "Well, I got in trouble… so I got tequila. And now I'm here."

Damon sighed. Clearly, he was going to be playing babysitter tonight, but he didn't actually mind that much. Put another quarter in the whipped jar. "What do you mean you got in trouble?"

Elena leaned in conspiratorially, the grin back on her face. "I was a bad girl," she whispered loudly, her hot breath hitting his ear and reminding him why it was so damn hard to be in the same room with her.

Elena skipped past him, crossing the room and running her hand along his dresser. "And not in that naughty sexy way," Elena added, causing more of his blood to run south. "_Really_ bad."

Damon's mouth quirked into a small smile. He had to admit that he liked this Elena. Elena always forced herself to stay in control, a tightrope he knew she had difficultly balancing on. He knew something like this had to be freeing for her and it made him happy that she wasn't so overly concerned. "What did you do?" He asked, heading back to his previous position on the bed as she spun around the room.

"I'm mean. I've done a lot of stupid things… made a lot of shitty decisions." Her tone was apathetic, but when she abruptly plopped down next to him on her knees and tugged off her shoes, he noticed something deep within her eyes.

Actually, Damon realized, _he_ was the stupid one. Elena Gilbert doesn't get wasted unless she's trying to avoid some emotional upheaval. And he could see behind the glossed over gaze that she was fighting a losing battle. "Elena," he murmured. "Come on. Everyone's made mistakes. You sure as hell know I have." He realized after it happened that he had grabbed her hand and was now stroking soothing patterns onto it with his thumb. He watched her gaze lower down to it but then she ripped her hand away. She didn't get off of the bed, but she scooted herself as far away from him as possible.

"No, Damon. You have to see me as a bad person. You have to hate me." Her tone was more desperate now, her eyes willing him to believe it. Damon fought the urge to roll his eyes. Elena Gilbert was too good to be bad or for him to see her as bad. He couldn't even imagine what she thought was so horrible that it would make him hate her.

"Did you kill somebody?" He asked teasingly.

"Basically," she mumbled.

It took Damon a few seconds to realize that she wasn't just playing along. _What the hell was going on? _A bit of adrenaline rushed through his veins as what she'd said fully settled in. "What do you mean _basically_?" He asked. He wouldn't have taken it so seriously if her demeanor weren't so ashamed.

"My brother," she replied, gulping. "I basically killed my brother."

Damon sat up a bit more. "Elena," he murmured. "You've _got_ to give me a bit more information here." His brain was still rapidly trying to catch up. He didn't even know that she _had_ a brother, let alone one who was dead.

"I mean, he's… he's still alive in all the legal senses but he's dead inside." At her last two words, Elena's face crumbled, her drunkenness no longer the instigator of fun. "And I did that," she choked out.

"Elena," Damon breathed, grabbing her forearms and gently pulling her so that she was lying on her side next to him as he did the same. Her eyes were scrunched shut, tears squeezing their way out of the corners. She looked like a little girl who was afraid of the dark. He gently brushed away the clumps of hair that had fallen into her face and then moved his hand down, settling it on her hip. His fingers traced the lines of her plaid trousers as she sniffled.

"Elena, talk to me. What happened with your brother?"

Elena took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she was going to say. Damon got a quick flash of déjà vu, remembering that just the night before, he'd been spilling his heart out to her. She was still softly crying when she began. "Jeremy… he was born with some mental challenges. He, uh, he wasn't very quick. He was sort of stuck in a toddler's mentality. He didn't understand right from wrong. My parents put him in a lot of therapy as a kid, tried every experimental thing they could in order to help him get along better."

"When he was about seven, he'd just gotten back from a summer camp of sorts for kids like him. It had done wonders according to every adult I spoke to. He'd apparently done twice as well as they'd hoped. I, being ten, couldn't see that. He was still my annoying little brother who couldn't do anything right." She closed her eyes again as more tears filled them.

"Um, so one morning, we were playing in his room and I was already upset with him over something stupid and he threw a toy right at my face. Hit me square in the bone. And I just… I _knew_ he wouldn't get punished the way I wanted him to. I was furious and I wanted to lash out, hurt him like he hurt me."

Elena broke down with another choking sob. Damon attempted to calm her, but she recoiled from his touch. Whatever she was about to say next, she was ripping out of the deepest parts of her soul. She hadn't told anyone this. He could sense it. The way it was affecting her now, he wasn't sure how this guilt and shame she held wasn't crippling her.

Damon struggled to understand her as she spoke through her hiccups. "I'd seen something on a soap opera a few days earlier and… I ran down the stairs screaming that-that he'd yanked open my robe and tried to look at me…" She didn't finish her sentence but Damon could easily piece together the rest of that day.

"Elena-" he tried.

"He was doing so well!" Elena cried out. And once her words started, they wouldn't stop. "He was doing so well and I ruined it. My parents freaked out and when they told his doctor, they said he needed to go into a special center b-because he was a danger to those around him. I wanted to tell them, but I was so scared. I was so scared that they would hate me!"

"And the center was awful. They were shut down a _month_ after Jeremy was taken out of there… By the time they got him out… the damage was already done. I broke him. He has to be in a long-term care facility now _permanently_. He doesn't talk. He doesn't play. I don't even know if he's smiled since then."

"Elena," Damon murmured. Every nerve in his brain was yelling at him to fix this, to fix her. She'd been so misguided for so many years, bearing an unnecessary guilt on her feeble shoulders. "Your brother has serious mental issues and you didn't cause them. They were there, underneath the surface. _Anything_ could have triggered them."

"But if it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have gone to that damn center," she fought back. But Damon wasn't going to let her leave this room until she lost the battle.

"You don't know that, Elena. You can't know all the 'what ifs.'" He still wasn't convincing her and he was beginning to doubt that he'd be able to reverse years of self-deprecating thoughts. "Elena, you were just a little girl who was hurt by her brother. You didn't know better. You weren't expected to."

"Stop!" Elena screamed, pushing herself up onto her knees. "Stop trying to make me feel better. You're supposed to hate me!"

Damon's eyes widened, completely baffled. He pushed himself up, mirroring her position. "Elena, I don't have a reason to hate you!"

Her cheeks were tear-stained, her voice still shaky. "I just gave you one! I destroyed my brother!"

"Your brother was out of your control, Elena. You have to understand that."

"Godamnit, Damon. Why do you have to be so stubborn about this? Just hate me, please!" She was begging him now, but he was still as confused as ever.

"Why do you want me to hate you so damn much?!" Damon shouted back, his face surely bright red.

"Because then I can't hurt you!" Elena cried.

Damon paused at her words, the only sound filling the room their heavy breathing. Their shared gaze was a challenge. "Why are you so scared of everything, Elena?" Damon pleaded. He could see the fear she was drowning in through her dark brown eyes.

She stammered, clearly not ready to go down that road. "No, Damon. Stop. Just say that you hate me."

"No!" He shot back. _Alright_, Damon decided. He didn't like drunk Elena. She was basically a child on steroids.

"Why can't you just say it?!" Elena flung her hands in the air to emphasize her frustration.

"Because I don't hate you, Elena. I-"

_Shit. Fuckety shit._ Damon had never been more grateful for the ability to stop speech than right at that moment. But even wasted-beyond-repair Elena had picked up on his almost confession. A confession Damon hadn't even made _mentally_ yet.

But before he could rapidly backtrack, crawl deep into a hole of self-hatred and booze, Elena was attacking him, her lips smashed into his near violently. Clearly, she didn't want to walk along that train track either.

Damon took all of two seconds to consider her mental state before he relinquished his semblance of control, roughly tangling his fingers in her hair to angle her head. His tongue delved into her warm mouth. The kiss was loud and it didn't help that Elena was letting out these damn whimpers that always developed into moans. All of his neurons were firing, telling him how wrong he was, but he couldn't have cared less. Earlier that day, he'd been faced with the possibility of never kissing Elena again, and he hadn't yet reconciled himself to the idea of that actually being feasible. Having her in his arms again, in his bed, made his skin itch in excitement.

When Elena pulled away to take a gasping breath, Damon migrated to her long neck, kissing and licking and nipping at her overheated skin. Elena slid one hand into his own hair while the other went down his back, squeezing hard whenever he discovered a sweet spot.

"Hate me," she murmured.

Damon groaned. "Nope," he replied before invading her mouth again. She wasn't going to win. He wouldn't let her win.

He pushed her back onto the bed, covering his body with hers. His hand slid up to her chest and groped the flesh there, causing Elena to cry out and retaliate by squeezing his ass. This was anger and frustration and tension all built up into one and Damon was done playing by the rules of romance. Besides, the way her leg was wrapped around him indicated she wasn't pussyfooting around.

He made the mistake of wanting to attack her exposed collarbone, allowing her to speak again. "Damon," she moaned. "Hate me."

"No," he stated forcefully, grinding his hips into hers. They groaned at the friction of it. Damon knew this was going too fast, but every damn bit of testosterone in his body was telling him otherwise.

"God, Damon, please." Alright, now it was just a buzz kill.

He ripped his head back, his hand halting its movements. "Damnit, Elena. Give it up. I already told you I'm not going to-"

"No," she mewed. And fuck it if it wasn't the hottest thing he'd heard in his life. She grabbed his hand and swiftly brought it down, forcefully placing it directly between her thighs. "Damon, please," she repeated, this time with a much different emphasis as she grinded upwards into his hand.

Damon was about five seconds away from coming in his pants. He stared flabbergasted at the woman beneath him, her hair splashed across his pillow, her lust-filled eyes still red-rimmed from her tears. She was biting her lip, apparently trying just as hard as he was to cling to the last shred of self-control before they both let go.

"Elena," he breathed, his hand still in the spot she'd placed it. He bit his lip, trying to ignore the heat radiating from her core and her squirming hips. He knew the answer but he had to ask regardless. "Has anyone ever-"

"No, but I need _you_ to," Elena contested. "_Please_."

At her plea, Damon undid her pants and slid his hand to cup her through her soaked underwear. Elena gasped at the closer contact. Maybe he couldn't hate her. He couldn't give her that. But he could give her this.

Just the brushing of his fingers against actual flesh caused Elena's hips to shoot upwards and her eyes to roll back in her head. Damon swore under his breath, adding a little more friction to his erection by grinding it into the bed for relief. When his finger swirled around her clit, Elena swooped up, claiming his lips in her own with a hungry kiss. He continued his ministrations, Elena's panting causing him to nearly lose it himself.

As he heard her whimpers quicken, he made sure to pause and wait for her head to nod in confirmation before slowly passing one finger between her folds. Elena cried out his name and Damon was sure his zipper was going to break from how hard he was. He slipped another past, grateful that it wasn't hurting her. She was insanely tight and warm and every synapse in his mind was screaming at him to never let her go. He couldn't let her go.

Slowly pumping his fingers in and out of her, he bent his head to place hot kisses on the exposed part of her neck and chest as she tangled her fingers in her hair, whimpering breaths escaping her lips. Damon groaned into her skin, as he felt one hand slide down to where his own was. Her slender fingers wrapped themselves around the back of his hand and began guiding the motion, increasing the speed exponentially. And that's when Damon lost it.

Damon let out a string of profanities into the crook of her neck, in complete disbelief that he'd _actually_ come in his pants. Elena hadn't yet noticed, still lost in the haze of her impending orgasm. Clearly, just arguing with Elena was enough to get him hard, but he couldn't even recall the last time something as juvenile as this had occurred. As she yanked his head back up with her free hand to kiss him, that word ran through his mind: _juvenile_. And with a sickening realization, he recognized that that was exactly what this was.

They weren't talking. They weren't in a relationship, but they obviously couldn't handle remaining just friends. In the past forty-eight hours, both revealed their deepest, darkest secrets to the other and instead of talking it out, they'd jumped each other, refusing to discuss it further. Elena's childish pleas for him to hate her made him believe that she was still holding something back. What she'd done wasn't enough for total detestation, no matter how messed up she actually was. They weren't acting like adults. Hell, he hadn't even bothered to take off her pants to finger her. They might as well be behind the bleachers after the homecoming dance. This wasn't a grown-up relationship. This was two fumbling teenagers who didn't know what a grown-up relationship was. And it needed to stop.

Not one to leave her high and dry, Damon crooked his fingers inside of her, massaging over her weak spot while also adding pressure to her clit with his thumb. She came almost immediately, shooting over the edge surprisingly quietly. He'd always assumed she'd be a screamer, yet her near-silent orgasm was enough to make him half hard again.

Damon gently yanked his hand out of her pants, hers following along with it. He stared above her at the headboard, trying to ignore how damn hot in she looked in his peripheral, recovering from her first orgasm ever. Startling him, she quickly tugged his head down to hers with one hand, the other fumbling to undo his belt.

"Elena," he groaned, pulling his head away. "You don't have to. Stop."

"No way," she whispered in his ear, causing him to elicit another groan from how lust-filled her words were. But he was still able to grab her hand, stopping it before she made any progress.

"No, seriously. You don't have to." She crinkled her eyebrows together, her lips pursing until he saw the light bulb flicker in her mind.

"Oh," she said softly and he actually noticed an adorable flicker of relief cover her eyes. _Focus, Salvatore_, Damon chided himself. "That's fine. Don't worry about it. Really-"

"Elena, _that's_ not what I'm worried about." His tone was solemn. Sure he really needed to change his pants given their state, but a much more important discussion needed to be had. And he was fairly sure if he walked out of that room, he wouldn't ever get the words out. The idea of possibly giving up on whatever this was hurt him more than he thought possible, but logically, he knew what he had to do. He took a deep breath, preparing himself. "Elena, why do you want me to hate you?"

Any and all lust in her eyes was ripped away at his words. Her face took on that worried, somber look again. "I already told you. I'm a bad person." He could feel her body underneath him start to pull away.

"Well, I can't hate you, Elena. Not now. Are you able to accept that?" Her eyes widened at his blunt words. She bit her lip, looking away from him.

"I guess I have to," she murmured. Damon sighed. This was going nowhere. He felt like he was talking to a small child. He yanked her chin back to him and as her brown eyes met his, he was instantly reminded how much of a child she _wasn't_. He remembered how beautiful she was. He remembered how kind she was, how funny. He remembered how, whenever he was around her, he understood why people left their careers behind and quit their jobs to travel the world. Because life was for the living and that was the only thing he wanted to do when he was with her.

The next thing that passed through his mind was not a memory, but a realization, a realization that made his stomach turn. He was shocked how something that started as a fleeting thought could so quickly become cemented in his mind as fact. It wasn't something a swift shaking of his head would ever get out.

"But can you accept this?" Damon maintained eye contact with the nervous woman below him until his lips softly landed on hers. And this was it. This was his admittance. This was the Olympic gymnast jumping up onto the beam, ready to display what she'd been training months for. It was risky and dangerous and all of the things human beings tried to avoid. But he had to give it his all.

He kissed her slowly, just breathing her in first, similarly to how their first kiss had gone. He could sense the tension of her muscles melt away as she ignored the thoughts running through her head and allowed herself to do what she wanted in her heart. Leisurely urging her mouth open with his tongue, she accepted it. She wanted to rush it, head in the direction they'd been headed earlier, but he wouldn't let her. In fact, as he felt her hand slide up to grip his hair again, he stopped it, holding both down by her sides. She would only feel _this_, only focus on _this_.

His movements were the kind you made on a Sunday morning when you first woke up, lazily soaking in the other. But this was instead a revealing. Every ounce of emotion he felt for this one girl was poured into his kiss: the frustration, the unease, the compassion, the fear. Because damnit if he wasn't scared of this. It was the all-too-human fear of your best not being enough.

She realized what he was doing and he could feel the shift beneath him. Those same muscles tensed back up, the previous eagerness rapidly dissipating. She was remembering that earlier decree, the one where they had to remain just friends. She was remembering the scary moments, the ones where it became all too real. She was acknowledging whatever it was that was holding her back from him and he knew, like a knife to the gut, that he'd lost her. _He wasn't enough._

He pulled back, forcing himself to look her in the eye, and like the masochist that he was, he waited for her answer. He might as well hear the words, too.

The tears filled her eyes again as she choked them out. "I can't."

His response was instant. "Then _I_ can't. Not right now."

Damon pushed himself off the bed, needing to put significant distance between him and her. He heard Elena mumble "no" multiple times under her breath as she weakly tried to get up.

As he pulled open his bathroom door, her cracking voice made him halt. "Damon, no, please…" It was almost enough to make him turn around and take it all back. But he knew there was nothing to follow behind that "please." There was no explanation. No verbal declaration that she needed to keep up whatever this was. She'd come into this room determined to push him as far away as possible and regardless of how clear it was that her heart wasn't on the same page, he had to walk away. Somewhere, deep inside, he found the strength to shut and lock the door behind him.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Her loud cries twisted the knife in his gut a bit tighter. He leaned his back against the door, listening as she grew silent. He leaned his ear against the door and then realized she was taking deep, exaggerated breaths. She lost her patience after three.

"It isn't working!" Elena cried. "She told me it would work! Why isn't it working?"

A few months ago, in some coffee shop in downtown LA, he'd carelessly walked away from her, fully knowing he might never see her again. Little did he know that one day, he'd do it again. And this time, it would hurt like a bitch.

**Gracious, this chapter ended up being a lot longer than originally planned. I felt like there was a lot of open endings from the last chapter that I needed to resolve and I hope I did that for you all.**

**1) How do you feel about the Katherine twist? Did you suspect that the other girls had been involved with Victoria? What about the fact that Katherine isn't going to tell? Many of you all expressed that you wanted to know more about K so I'm glad I got to give a bit of that to you all.**

**2) ELENA'S LITTLE SECRET. Yep, this is the thing that's been haunting Elena all this time. Did anyone guess it or come close? Does it make you sympathize with Elena or does it (for those of you that dislike her in this story) make you hate her more? Just curious.**

**3) SMUT ALERT. Oh my gosh, redder than a strawberry am I when I write the sexy stuff. I hope I did some justice to the scene but I highly doubt it. And finally...**

**4) Delena angst feelz. God, I almost had the same realization Damon did when writing this. This relationship is so not mature right now. Elena has no experience in this field and she's hiding this huge secret so she's constantly flip flopping back and forth. And then we have Damon (so glad I got his POV in finally) who is far too caught up in his lust for her but is now just realizing his deeper feelings, something he's never dealt with before... And let's not forget that, as readers, you all can see the giant car crash ahead. What broke my heart the most in this chapter (yes, my own writing can break my heart now hush) was Elena following her mother's advice at the end of the chapter with the deep breathing. Gah...**

**I'm assuming you all can figure out what both D & E realized in this chapter but we still have a long way in three short chapters to go. Again, please, please, please leave your reviews. The only reason this chapter is going up tonight is because a very, very nice person on Tumblr said very nice things about my fic on her blog and that gave me the motivation. I want this story to go out with a bang and I need your help to do that.**

**I love you all and I'll see you with the next update as soon as I can.**

**P.S. Did anyone hear that reference to ghost writing an autobiography by Ezra during the PLL Halloween episode? I don't know if you all even watch that show, but I squealed when I saw it. ;) **

**P.S.S. I'M ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FINISH THIS STORY BECAUSE I'M FAIRLY SURE I WILL DIE AFTER 4X04. GOOD LUCK AND GET YOUR BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS READY.**


	16. Chapter 16: The Last Time

**I'm pretty sure I'm a saint because, what's this, an update_ 4 days_ after the last?! Yep, I'm just an angel in disguise. I was so incredibly motivated this week by two different things: 1) 4x04 and 2) your reviews. Clearly, 4x04 did not live up to the Delena hype so while last week, I was taking out my angst (and if you'll note, I did sorta predict a not-so-happy Delena ending in the ep), this week I'm taking out my feelz. Secondly, your reviews were absolutely, beyond belief, _incredible_ last week. There were reviews that actually made me cry! You all are so fabulous and I can't thank you enough. Now again, please, please, please keep that up for these last three chapters because I'm telling you: reviews like the ones I received over the past couple of days have a direct correlation to the amount of time it takes me to update. **

**This was another one of those chapters where I definitely expected it to be a lot shorter than the last so it blew me away when I spit out almost 8000 words. When I was writing this chapter, I was absolutely in love with it, but now that I'm throwing it out there for you all, I'm _incredibly_ nervous. I've been planning for this chapter for months now so it is a bit scary to think it won't live up to my or your expectations. I do think one of the reasons this chapter affected me so much was the music I had going while writing it. And while any slow, beautiful playlist works well when reading this (I actually posted one on my Tumblr that you all can check out,) I think three songs really stuck out for me. So, if you're up for it, you can play "Only Love" by Ben Howard, "The Last Time" by Taylor Swift, and then "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (in that order) to set the tone. But it's up to you how you want to go about it.**

**Embarrassing confession time: I may or may not have made dying whale noises and/or teared up from my own writing. So I'll be highly disappointed if not a single one of you has one of the above reactions ;) **

* * *

Chapter 16: The Last Time

_I'm right before your eyes,_  
_I'm aching._  
_Run fast, nowhere to hide,_  
_Just you and me_

_This is the last time I'm asking you this  
Put my name at the top of your list,  
This is the last time I'm asking you why,  
You break my heart in the blink of an eye._

Elena haphazardly pulled off her ruffled olive green scarf and dark pea coat, setting her two-toned sunglasses on the dresser. She could still hear the faint twinge of Christmas music that had been blasting from the central sound system in the house since the first day of December. Thankfully, she had control over the personal speakers in her room. Christmas was the girls' favorite holiday and the second the boys allowed them to, the mansion in the woods had basically become Santa's workshop.

Elena would have appreciated it any other year. She loved Christmas. It had always been her favorite of the holidays, the one time a year where she could truly be herself. She had fond memories of coming home from her boarding school or college, being with her family and letting go of whatever the façade of the month was. But this December, she hadn't cracked a genuine smile yet.

After her incident with Damon, another to add to the list of many, she'd basically shut down. She spent the majority of her time throwing herself into final editing and writing of the manuscript, attempting to exert any last bits of control on it she could before she had to give it away. She was thankful for Bonnie's stealthy maneuver of throwing her old anti-anxiety medication in her suitcase before she'd left because she needed it now more than ever. The combined guilt of Katherine's occasional accusing stares and Damon's emotional weight left her feeling breathless at least once a day.

Yet although the house was decorated in enough Christmas cheer to drown an elf, Elena had noticed nearly every occupant in the house had taken on a somber mood. Many days, the couples just stayed in their respective parts of the house, doing whatever it was that Elena had earlier abdicated when she'd refused Damon. It was as if everyone realized that in a few weeks, this fantastical vacation would be over and they'd be forced to return to their work and the real world awaiting them. More shame swept over Elena when she remembered that she'd be making their real world even more of a hell come spring.

It had been two weeks and she'd barely seen Damon since that night. Half of her heart was screaming at her to fix things, but she knew that every day that passed without contact just made the situation that much worse. Besides, the other half of her heart and the entirety of her head was reminding her that she needed to put up as many shields as possible, even if it meant giving the one back to Damon he'd worked so hard to break down. The only way she could cling to her morality these days was by trying to protect the people she was going to hurt. That, and Christmas presents.

Elena had worked long and hard on finding the perfect Christmas present for every Original. She'd gotten them all early, needing something to distract herself during the first few days after her confession to Damon. She'd spent far too much time wrapping the gifts to perfection, while also writing long-winded letters in the cheesy French Christmas cards. At least she could use some of her writing talents for good rather than evil.

But, as the fates had it, finding a Christmas present for Damon was absolutely impossible. Everything seemed worthless and mediocre compared to what he'd offered her through that kiss. He'd offered her such unconditional adoration, and she was going to give him a thousand dollar antique vase? It was a joke. Any ounce of creativity had been sucked out of her as well, rendering the adorable do-it-yourself gifts she'd found on the Internet completely useless.

She'd just come back from another unsuccessful mission, hours of delving through shelf after shelf of marble music boxes, obscenely expensive gold watches, and elaborate ties and wallets hand-sewed by third world children. Shop workers were beginning to recognize her, greeting her at the door to let her know in their thick accents that they hadn't received anything new, but encouraging her to look one more time just in case. Elena was beginning to fear that nothing would ever be good enough. How could she rise to his level of generosity? And how could she avoid the fact that no gift would ever take away the sting of betrayal?

Elena sat down on the bed, untying the strings of her heeled lace-up ankle boots when she heard a knock at her door. "Come in," she answered.

"Merry Christmas!" Oh, good. Just what Elena needed: a perky squealing blonde in a Santa hat.

Elena donned one of the fake smiles she'd perfected over the past six months. "Little early there, Care. Don't ya think?"

Caroline shook her head back and forth, her curls whipping back and forth against her face. "Not in the slightest. You, my friend, are about to experience the annual Early Original Christmas. EOC, for short."

Elena's lips parted in confusion. "Wait, what?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. It's not like you have any other plans. And I can clearly see you already bought all of your Christmas gifts. By the way, the giant pink box _better_ be mine."

"Why are we having Christmas so early? And why did no one tell me this?!"

Caroline sighed, entering the room as she realized this conversation wasn't going to be as simple as previously thought. "I'm sorry. With everything that's been going on and you kind of being a hermit…" Elena's eyes widened at the accusation. "Oh, come on. You basically never leave your room these days." Caroline settled herself down on the bed next to her. "We've always done Christmas like this. The first year the Originals did this trip, Elijah was told he had to be back by Christmas Eve in order to finish up some last minute filming details. Katherine was pissed, but she still wanted to have Christmas with everyone. So she made an Early Christmas on the fifteenth. It's kind of become a tradition since there's always the possibility that someone gets called back early for work stuff. Plus, it's fun. So, let's get your ass in a cute little dress so we can be downstairs in the next hour. Bernie's made this amazing meal and she's banned us all from the kitchen but I can still totally smell the cookie dough."

Elena bit her lip, anxiety coursing through her veins. "Care, seriously, you should have told me sooner that my deadline got moved up." The blonde cocked her eyebrows in confusion as Elena sighed. Her voice lowered to a whisper, as though he could hear her. "I don't have a gift yet for Damon."

Caroline's head immediately dipped down, a sad expression taking over her face. "Oh, um. You don't really need to worry about that."

"Why? Come on, I can't just not get him a gift."

Caroline took a deep breath, her green eyes shooting back up to meet Elena's. "Damon doesn't really… _do_ Christmas. You know, bad memories and all that."

Elena's throat tightened, her head swirling with unexplainable heartache. She almost felt like she should have known. "Oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense."

"Look, don't stress about it." Caroline put her hand on Elena's leg, stroking her thumb comfortingly on Elena's boyfriend jeans. "Damon's already left the house, out running errands to distract himself." Her face lit up in a comforting smile. "So what do you say?"

Elena gradually shook her head up and down, glad that she could deter the tears this time. "Yeah, of course. It will be fun."

"Well, duh. _I_ planned it," Caroline grinned. Elena watched as the grin faded. "Elena, I wanted to tell you something before the vacation's over. Stefan and I… we're not going to try anything else. We talked, like _actual_ talking, and… he loves Lexi. And I love Klaus. So we're writing it off as a dumb mistake and…" Caroline trailed off, struggling with her next words.

But Elena could finish the thought. "…And you're not going to tell anybody."

A stray tear escaped Caroline's eye. She let out a bitter scoff. "God, you must think I'm the most horrible person on the planet."

_Still got a couple miles to go until you pass me, _Elena thought. "Of course not. I understand why you would want to keep it a secret." And she did. Hell, it was the entire reason she was doing this.

"It already tore Stefan and I to shreds. I just have to make sure it doesn't do the same to anyone else."

Elena bobbed her head up and down, putting her arm comfortingly around the girl. "Your secret is safe with me." It wasn't a lie. _That_ secret was.

Caroline's grateful smile faded again as she scanned the girl's face. "God, you look like shit. Come on, your makeover needs a sequel."

* * *

As Elena descended the stairs, her eyes widened like a five-year-old girl. If one could imagine the perfect Christmas living room, this was it. The main area was glowing with light, the fifteen foot Christmas tree the crowning glory. The fireplace was roaring and the cheesy Christmas music had been replaced with far more beautiful instrumental versions. The giant floor-to-ceiling glass wall on the right had a breathtaking view of the softly falling snow, the Alps a faint shadow in the distance. It made Elena want to break down in tears.

But the most beautiful sight in the room was the group of people in it. Elijah and Kol were scrolling through their iPad, heads down in concentration over whatever they were trying to figure out. Lexi, who had bent over to fix some wrapping under the tree, stood up to find Stefan's arms wrapped around her from behind, placing soft kisses down her neck. Katherine was by the drink cart; Anna perched on a chair arm sipping a glass of champagne. Klaus and Caroline had been teasingly arguing over a trivial detail, but when Elena finally reached the room, Caroline's head, and everyone else's whipped around to greet her.

"Mine!" Caroline squealed. "Before you compliment her on how stunning she looks, that was ninety-five percent me!"

"Oh, now you can't take credit for that kind of genuine beauty," Klaus smirked, walking over to Elena to place a kiss on her hand. "Absolutely incredible, my dear."

Elena blushed. "Thank you." Her look was simple, but for some reason Caroline had still managed to outdo herself. A flowing sleeveless cat-print black dress adorned her figure, stopping at her knees, while black tights and loafers kept her warm. Her olive skin glowed, both from whatever crap Caroline had slathered her in and the warm lighting of the room. Her thick hair was down in soft barely-there waves and her makeup, although subtle, had actually made Elena gasp when she'd seen herself in the mirror. Although the compliments of the group were flattering, there was really only one person who she wished could see her now. But Caroline had accidentally admitted earlier that he'd even gotten a hotel in Lyon for the night.

"I should go find him," Elena had mumbled, starting to pull out the rollers Caroline had carefully placed. "He shouldn't be alone in a hotel somewhere."

"No!" Caroline cried, yanking Elena's hand away from her hair and holding her down by her shoulders. "Just let him be by himself tonight. He doesn't want company… no matter who it is."

But now, Elena was thankful for the distraction of the people around her. The others began settling into their seats when her nose was suddenly filled with the rich aroma of chocolate. She turned her head around, Katherine offering the steaming mug in her direction. "It's spiked," she said gently, her face hosting a small smile.

Elena's skin itched a bit with nerves. "With arsenic?" She whispered, a worried laugh escaping.

Katherine's smile grew a bit more genuine. "Not tonight," she whispered back. "Tonight, I can let it go for _them_." She cocked her head in the direction of the group, too distracted to notice the pivotal conversation beside them.

Elena nodded her head. "Thank you," she replied in a stronger tone, taking the hot mug.

"Consider it my Christmas gift," Katherine replied, moving to sit next to her fiancé.

Elena sat in a warm armchair, tucking her legs up underneath her. As she sipped on her mug, she just soaked every last moment in. She laughed until tears rose in her eyes as Klaus told a story about a sales clerk who had fangirled all over him while he was out buying gifts, putting some of her _hair_ in the bags before he'd walked out. She yelled "thank you" along with the rest of the gang when Bernie had come in to let them know that dinner was almost ready. A heartbreaking realization hit her when she realized these people were more than just her housemates: they were her new family. She'd never felt more at ease and loved in her entire life than she did at that moment. But as the group nearly ran into the dining room, she gulped back the lump in her throat. She'd have time to cry later. She'd have years of it.

* * *

"Good night!" She called down the hall, giggles erupting from the half drunk couple she'd just left. Elena couldn't wipe the smile off of her face, toting the large shopping bag that Bernadette had placed all of her gifts in. They were all fairly small trinkets, mostly jewelry, but she hadn't cared in the slightest: she'd had one of the most wonderful nights of her life with the people she loved the most. But as she pushed open her door, every memory of the past few hours faded away, her brain only able to focus on one singular thing.

"Damon," she murmured. Sitting on her bed was the one thing that had been missing from her perfect evening. He looked almost exactly the same as he had when he'd found her in that hotel room, wearing a wrinkled button down tucked into dress pants, his hair messy. She had to physically stop herself from racing across the room, tackling him in a hug.

"Wow," he mumbled, the words nearly falling out of his mouth. "God, you're… you're _breathtaking."_ He blushed, something Elena was only slightly able to see given that the only light in the room was the lamp in the corner. "I'm sorry. I'm crossing friendship lines there."

Elena placed her bag on the floor after noticing how tightly she was gripping the handle. "How did you… Why are you… How are you here?" She was reduced to just the bare minimum of brain functioning.

He couldn't keep the smirk off of his face. "I, uh… Merry Christmas?" Clearly, his brain was in the same state as hers.

She let out a shallow breath, shakily coming a bit closer to him while closing the door behind her. "Merry Christmas," she replied. They were two stupid words that were said without thought countless times during this season but to Elena, they said about five thousand things. Most importantly, they were words that begged for forgiveness.

He stood up, coming closer to her now given that she seemed stuck in her place. "I got you something," Damon spoke, his tone nervous. Now she noticed the slim object in his hand.

"Damon-" She countered.

"Oh my god, Elena. Don't you fucking dare," he groaned teasingly and she couldn't help but share in his chuckle. "It's in a damn envelope. How much damage do you think I could do?"

Elena sighed, warily taking it from him as she tried to ignore the fact that he'd already done so much damage, a kind of damage she was still determining whether was bad or good. "Do you want me to open it now?" She asked, a grin lighting up her face.

Damon rolled his eyes at her teasing as Elena slowly tore the small envelope. They were only standing about a foot from the other, both their breaths heavy as though this were a pivotal moment. It would take Elena until the next day to realize just how pivotal it actually was. She turned the envelope upside down in her hand, and out slid...

"Damon, what is this?" She gasped. She knew _exactly_ what it was, but she needed to hear it from him.

"It's a plane ticket… one-way, closest airport to your hometown. I remember you told me that you didn't like my private jet too much, said you didn't like all those people waiting on you, so I made sure you were on a 'regular' plane. I had to go to Lyon to a damn travel agency though, because everything is booked for the holidays and I'm ashamed to admit it but… I may or may not have had to do a bit of obscene flirting with the old broad at the counter but hey, at least you got first class."

Elena couldn't tear her eyes away from the ticket in her hand, not even to cut off Damon's nervous babbling. Her hand shook as he continued. "Look, I know that you don't want to be here anymore because of what happened and I'm sorry for that. I just thought you could go home for the holidays, be with your family, be with Jeremy. I didn't want to force you to be here any longer than you had to be."

He ran a hand through his hair. "It's for tomorrow morning. Um, the gang said they'd help you pack up your stuff, help you get of here in time. I talked to your parents… They said Bonnie was coming home for Christmas so you'd get to see her again as well."

A million questions were running through Elena's head so she picked the first one she could find. "So, tonight was…"

Damon let out a small laugh. "Tonight was the Originals' backlash when they heard I'd be taking you away from them on Christmas." He leaned in conspiratorially. "There's no such thing as an 'Early Original Christmas.' They just wanted to spend the holiday with you."

"And you… you don't hate Christmas?" She murmured, the text on the card now growing blurry under her gaze.

Damon let out a more genuine laugh this time. "Yeah, that was a lie, too. It's my favorite holiday, actually." His voice grew a bit shaky at his next words. "Honestly, it was the one day a year my parents didn't hate me. Call it the magic of Christmas or whatever but… I didn't have to put up a shield."

Elena couldn't hold it back anymore. She inhaled shakily, a breath that sounded more like a cry. "Elena," Damon murmured worriedly. She could sense that he wasn't sure if he could wrap her in his arms, so instead he comfortingly ran his hands down her sides. "Elena, I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you-"

"What if I wanted to spend Christmas with _you_?" She cut him off, her voice shaky and vulnerable. Her eyes finally rose to meet his own.

Damon's lips parted in surprise. "I didn't… I thought after everything I did…"

She couldn't believe he was blaming himself for even a _percentage_ of the shit storm that was their relationship. "God, Damon. I said we had to be friends, not that I never wanted to see you again." Elena's eyes whipped down to the piece of paper in her hand.

She gasped as she felt a warm heat on her forehead, Damon having cautiously leaned into to rest his own against hers. She refused to bring her eyes up to meet his but she watched as he gingerly took the ticket out of her hand and dropped it on the floor beside them. Both were taking shallow breaths as Damon intertwined his fingers in her own, pulling both of their hands to lean against his solid chest.

It was just them, only them as Elena finally absorbed all of the new information her brain had just received. This was a goodbye. This whole night had been her sending-off. Damon must have told the Originals that they weren't together and that they'd never be together, that this was more than likely the last time they'd ever see her again. And in a bizarre way, Elena saw the similarity between her and Damon and all of the other Originals: they'd lied to keep her happy. Sure, it wasn't at the same scale as she was doing, but it granted her the tiniest sliver of hope… that someday, someday in the far off distant future, they would understand _why_ she did what she did.

Elena realized they'd been silent for a few moments, an awkward cough escaping her lips. "Is this as hard for you as it is for me?" She'd meant it as a joke, but it's meaning was far more serious.

"A million times worse," he murmured, his breath now hot on her face because of their proximity.

After a few more seconds of sniffles and breathing, Damon spoke up. "I, uh, I know this gift is pretty small. I mean you could have easily gotten it for yourself. I know you also would have skinned me alive if I'd done anything to directly help Jeremy so… there are some charities that are receiving a large donation in your name tomorrow as well." Another choked sob left Elena's lips. She was convinced she'd spend the next ten years hunting down any person that ever called Damon Salvatore selfish and physically harm them for their blatant lies.

Their intimate stance was broken by his next words. "I need to go," he whispered. Her grip grew tighter as she realized that once he walked out of the room, she'd never see him outside of magazines or television shows. But she knew what he meant when he said he had to leave the room. It meant he wouldn't be there to send her off in the morning because letting her go hurt too damn much.

"I'm hurting you." She stated it as fact, hating the way it made his breath catch.

"No, Elena," he murmured. "But walking away is."

Elena nodded against his forehead and stared straight ahead as he untangled one of her hands and began to leave. But his final haphazard tug on the hands that were still connected was worthless against her fierce grip. She'd made a decision and she wasn't going to let him out of the room until she'd done what she needed to do. Maybe, for just a second, she could stop hurting him and start doing what she was now sure she was put on this earth to do.

"Wait," she caught his gaze, her eyes still wet with tears, his expression still broken. "You didn't get _your_ gift yet."

Damon began to shake his head, but she placed a sad smile on her face, pulling him back towards the bed slightly. "Don't you fucking dare," she smirked, repeating his words from earlier, and eliciting his own matching smirk. She let go of his hand, but only to walk to her nightstand and pick up her journal.

She came back to her original position, standing in front of him and flipping through the notebook to the last page. She hadn't written in it since that night so the entry was easy to find. Her hands trembled as Damon curiously surveyed her. She felt naked in front of him, letting him in so intimately even though they weren't even touching. She gulped, smoothing out the page with her finger and beginning.

"Dear Diary," Elena let out a forced laugh at her juvenile tradition, a habit she'd never been quite able to break.

"Elena, you don't have to do this," Damon interjected. And he was right. She didn't. She hadn't needed to stop him before he walked out of the room. She hadn't needed to give him anything. He was even giving her an out now, an excuse to put down the book and forget it ever happened. But she couldn't do that. She couldn't let this moment go to waste.

Once Elena began, she didn't stop. Like a blessing, her voice was clear and firm, whatever she'd learned in her public speaking course finally kicking in. "I never thought I was bad at answering questions. In fact, I spent a good portion of my high school career making shit up whenever a teacher called on me, providing a good enough answer to pass or at least convince the teacher to take the pressure off. I remember how annoyed I was when _he_ used to ask me dumb trivial questions in the beginning of all of this. Who cared what my favorite song was or whether I preferred dogs to cats? But he did. I guess it was some odd way he could have control over me, if he knew things about me, but that's not for me to assume."

"Now that I think about it, our relationship has been filled with a lot of questions. Like that night he came into my room." She saw Damon stiffen in her peripheral. "When he asked me all those invasive questions, I'd wanted to cry. But now I wish I could have them all back. Because at least those I could answer honestly."

She gulped back the lump in her throat and continued. "Tonight, he asked me the one question I couldn't give him the truthful answer to, the one question that causes me to quake from the immensity of it all. He offered me everything I've ever wanted on a silver platter tonight and I rejected it because of exactly the reason he said: I'm scared. I'm so scared of my heart being ripped to shreds even more when the inevitable comes, because if I let him in that much, it could take us both down in flames."

"So I tell him I can't because I love him. I love him enough to not accept his love. God, that sounds wrong writing it out now. But it's my decision and I'm sticking to it. Besides, I'm not even sure what accepting a love that great, that all-consuming entails. I don't think I'll ever be capable of understanding it. So I guess I'll just keep taking deep breaths until the pain goes away. I hope there's enough oxygen left once I'm done." Elena let out another forced laugh at her dumb joke, closing the small notebook. "Sorry, I, uh… I think I'm funny late at night," she murmured.

It was only deep breathing for a few moments before he broke the silence. "Is that true?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Elena groaned. Really? After laying it all out on the line, that's all he had to say? "No, Damon," she shot back, her gaze fierce. "I just pulled that whole entry out of my _ass_ to screw with your head some more. Give me a damn Oscar because that was some of the-"

Words cut off by lips pressed tightly against hers and god damnit if it didn't feel like the most relieving exhale she'd ever taken. She felt him yank the book out of her hands and throw it on to the floor, the thump covered up by her gasp as he pulled her more tightly into him. She lifted her still shaky hands to his face as he held her, leisurely opening his mouth and meeting his tongue with hers.

She slid her hands down to his neck as his tongue explored her mouth gracefully, sighing into his embrace. She hadn't allowed herself to want this reaction, but now that she had it, she was obscenely grateful for it. She'd done this with him countless times before, yet this time his kisses seemed that much more dizzying. This was typically the point where they would hastily grab at each other, rapidly picking up their pace. Yet this time was different. This time they weren't just friends with a desire. This time, they were lovers with a need.

Damon spun them around so that she was the one with her back to the bed. He pulled back for a moment, each gazing at each other with stunned eyes, chests heaving. His stare was yet another question, but she knew he had all the answers. In reply, she slowly kicked her shoes off with her feet, never taking her eyes off of his. The simple gesture was a yes, a yes to all of his inquiries.

He came back to her, this time his hands encasing her face as she clutched at his forearms. With more sweeps of his tongue, he slowly laid her out on the bed. She stared up at him in wonder, her hair fanned out beneath her and her dress riding up her thighs slightly. He crawled over her and all Elena wanted to do was grab at him, pull him into her arms, but he didn't allow it. Instead, he grabbed her outreached arm, grasping her wrist in his hand and glancing at her with a mischievous smirk. "Just to be as clear as possible," his voice near husky with lust. "Accepting_ it_ means accepting this…" And with that he pressed wet kisses gradually and deliberately down her arm, from the top of her wrist to the crook of her shoulder. He kissed his way up her neck and then hovered over her mouth. But the second her head shot up to meet him, he pulled away, lifting her other wrist to repeat his action. Elena didn't know how it was possible, but she felt every kiss go straight to her groin. This time, when he'd come back to her eye line, he only allowed one chaste kiss to her lips before lifting his head back up. "Sit up," he murmured and she followed his order as if he'd hypnotized her. He spun her around, her back facing him with her legs tucked up underneath her.

She shuddered as his breath hit the sensitive skin on the back of her neck. He pulled her hair to the side and ever so lightly dragged his fingers down the exposed skin of her back. When he reached the apex of the "v" her dress made between her shoulder bones, he began placing the same kisses on her neck and shoulder, lightly tugging the zipper down until it hit the thin black belt at her waist. Her eyes were closed, but every nerve in her body felt him as he reached his arms around to undo the flimsy buckle. For some reason, anytime his fingers scraped past her stomach, she always tensed. But he didn't allow her to tense for too long. He gently pulled her chin towards him and, over her shoulder, dragged her into another fierce kiss. She was able to untangle herself from their previous position and turn herself around to meet him on his knees, but the action caused the thick straps to slide down, exposing the red lace balconette bra Caroline had thrown at her earlier that evening. Caroline had joked about it, but maybe she'd assumed Elena would need it, knowing the kind gesture Damon would be making that night. Elena felt a touch of irritation, but was immediately distracted by the way Damon was staring at her.

It was cliché and perfect in all the right ways. She'd heard the phrases a million times: "like there wasn't another woman in the world," "paralyzed in lust." She knew them all. Yet actually experiencing it firsthand was indescribable. And she wanted more of it.

Damon was still on his knees so she placed her hands on his shoulders to push herself up. He put his hands on her hips, his head directly paralleled to the space between her hipbones. His awestruck gaze followed her up, as she stood wobbly in front of him. She was so nervous she wondered if he could hear how fast her heart was beating.

"Shirt," she ordered softly. And although she wished she could be the one hastily undoing his buttons, she knew she'd lose her courage if she'd stayed down at his level any longer. His hands were only off of her sides for a moment as he nearly yanked his shirt off, their gazes never disconnecting. He threw the wrinkled shirt off the bed and onto the floor and Elena gulped, staring at his sculpted chest. _My turn. _

She tugged the dress down from where it was caught at her waist and let it fall to her feet. She shot her eyes up to the ceiling as she stepped out of the dress knowing what he was about to discover. And just like she predicted, she bit her lip hearing his groan. Sure, the black tights she was left in were fairly opaque, but it was pretty clear that Caroline had neglected to hand her a pair of underwear.

Elena was tugged down into his lap about a second after his realization and before he captured his lips in hers, he forced her to meet his eyes. It was his unspoken reassurance, his reminder that she wasn't going to be rejected. It was all she wanted. That, and him.

So this time, when his lips met hers, her lips curled up into a snarl. This one had knocking teeth and groping hands. She didn't even flinch when his hands slid around to undo her bra. She bent her own arm around to meet his, remembering that fancy French lingerie had complicated hooks, but Damon chuckled into the kiss, shoving her hand away and undoing it in one quick flick. "Don't doubt me so easily," he whispered in her ear causing her to grin.

Both grins faded as Damon's glance flashed down to her now exposed breasts. He threw the bra out of their laps, and placed a trail of kisses down her neck, chest, and even hitting that one freckle between the two. She scraped her nails down his back, eliciting a moan from his lips. His head came back up to hers, meeting in one long kiss.

"You'll have to accept this, too." He murmured. His head bent back down and Elena's breath quickened as he dragged his tongue in lazy patterns on every exposed square inch of her. Her nails now dug into his back even more tightly as he captured one peak in his mouth, gasping at how unnervingly sensitive the area was. Elena's thoughts warred between yanking his head back up and urging him onward or allowing him to spend hours worshipping this one area. Her hips, almost subconsciously, ground into his thigh, as his thumb traced the undersides of her breasts. He let out a loud growl as she dragged herself back and forth along his leg, trying to relieve some of the mounting pressure. He clearly made the decision for her as he yanked her head back down and violently met her mouth.

Damon pushed her back on the bed, making her cry out when she'd lost the alleviating friction. Her skin felt a hundred times more sensitive than it had a few minutes earlier. His hands were everywhere on her all at once, caressing her hips, her breasts, and arms. Even when his hand slid across her stomach, she couldn't bring herself to feel self-conscious.

Damon placed hot, wet kisses up to her ear and then growled, "And this." In a moment, her tights had been ripped straight down the middle and the rough slide of the fabric against her bare skin made her grow even wetter. "God, Damon." She knew exactly what he was doing now. He was showing her all the sides of him, all the parts of his soul that she'd be embracing by loving him. There was his sweet, understanding side, the side that would buy her a plane ticket to fly her home for the holidays and the side that brought him to her in Lyon to hold her while she cried. There was his rough, stubborn side, the kind that caused his temper and their arguments yet still turned her on beyond belief, knowing he'd always be possessive over her. And then there was that side smack dab in the middle: the side that matched her perfectly. The one that just _got_ her, even when she wasn't making any sense. The one that knew exactly what she was going to say when she couldn't even open her mouth.

But before she could do any more deep contemplation, his tongue was in the crease of her inner thigh and she couldn't contemplate anything beyond that. His hot breath on her most intimate area caused her to shudder and she was immensely grateful that he hadn't asked for permission because there shouldn't be a second of time wasted when he was that close to her. And with that thought, Damon's tongue was on her and holy shit, she'd wished she'd started this whole thing sooner. By "thing," she meant the one with Damon because she was glad she didn't waste any time with someone who was even ninety percent as good as Damon was. Sure, she didn't have anything to compare it too, but she knew. Damon was good at this… really, really good.

Elena's stomach tensed as her breaths grew into pants, her hand subconsciously tugging him closer to her as she tangled her fingers in his hair. She could feel herself growing closer and closer towards that same euphoric high she'd only experienced once before. Damon chuckled at her squirming hips, placing more pressure on holding them down. But as his right hand slid up to her breast and he latched onto her clit, Elena cried out, her entire body experiencing her release. She was still panting as Damon slid back up to her, pushing some of the damp hair off of her forehead.

Once she'd come down from it, Elena met Damon's adoring eyes. It amazed her how quickly he could switch back and forth from rough to tender. But now that she was far more conscious of her surroundings, her anxiety began to creep in. She was completely naked, both body and soul at this point. And she was inexperienced. She knew he wouldn't reject her, but she also didn't want him disappointed in her. Not after everything they'd been through to get to this point.

But Damon would always be the cure to her fears, the nightlight for the small child afraid of the dark. His face lit up in that beautiful, genuine smile of his, his hand on her waist. "Elena, you shouldn't be scared of the inevitable. You'll spend too much damn time being afraid. That's the point of inevitability: it's coming no matter how much you try to worry it away."

Elena gulped, her thumb sliding back and forth on his bicep. "But what if the inevitable is the worst thing in the world? How can you not be scared of it?" She murmured.

Damon's smile lit up his face, almost as if he were amused by her comment. "Elena, if I've learned anything these past six months, it's that the only thing inevitable here… is us."

Elena took a deep breath while letting those words seep in. They were what she wanted to hear, what she needed to hear, even if she hadn't realized it. She pushed her head up, placing a soft kiss on his lips and pulling back only slightly.

"Elena, I love you," he spoke against her lips.

Elena grinned against him. "I guess I can accept that," she murmured.

Damon groaned. "Not even an orgasm can shake the tease out of you, can it?" He whined.

Elena laughed lightly, placing her hands on his neck, staring into his blue eyes. "I love you, too."

Elena's hands drifted down to meet his at his belt, helping him pull it out of the rings and undo the button and zipper of his pants. She helped kick them down, gasping when she was met with bare skin, and then rolling her eyes at expecting anything else. Although she wasn't afraid anymore, she knew that looking down would cause unnecessary anxiety. Nevertheless, feeling him against her leg still caused her heart to race in anticipation. Damon's hand went back down to her center, but the moment he touched her, he groaned.

"Shit, Elena, you're still so wet." Elena only offered a moan in response as he dragged his fingers away. He positioned himself over her, his body hovering over hers, and she was already mindlessly trying to arch upwards.

"I'm assuming you don't need me to go over the family education basics," he joked. Elena smiled, seeing in his eyes how nervous he was. It was gosh darn adorable.

Elena arched her hips up towards him, smoothing her hands down his back. "Just… _please_."

Elena gasped, scrunching her eyes shut as Damon slowly filled her. She knew the only reason it was hurting so much was because she was so tense. With her eyes still shut, she mumbled, "Kiss me." Damon didn't hesitate, pressing his lips against hers. It only took her an instant to relax, his lips a safe home base. Before she knew it, Damon was all the way inside of her and she let out a low moan, Damon's invitation to actually express how satisfied he was.

Damon growled, deepening the kiss before pulling away. "So perfect, Elena," he groaned as he began to thrust in and out of her. Elena arched her neck, her head digging into the pillow as she tried to touch every inch of him she possibly could. She'd only been truly having sex for thirty seconds, but she was convinced she was going to become an addict. The ability to be this close to him, to be completely filled by him… it felt like a miracle.

Damon hitched her leg up, thrusting into her harder as she began rolling her hips to meet his, catching onto the rhythm quickly. Every word out of Damon's mouth was either a swear word or a compliment, while Elena could only manage short, choppy breaths and whimpers. She met his lips as she felt her skin begin to tingle and with Damon's quicker movements, she could sense that he was close, too.

Elena lost it, stars behind her eyes and all that jazz, the second he hit that one spot deep inside of her. She didn't make a sound, her body's reaction doing all of the talking. He followed a few thrusts later, collapsing on top of her with a loud call of her name. It took them both a few minutes to catch their breath, Elena running her hands through his hair and on the smooth skin of his strong shoulders. Damon rolled next to her, and she immediately missed the warmth his body had provided, snuggling into him so their skin wasn't apart for a moment. Once she'd positioned herself back in his embrace, she matched his smile, leaning forward to press a light kiss to his lips.

"So… how'd I do?" Damon grinned cockily and Elena let out a loud laugh.

"Hmm," she crinkled her eyebrows. "Well, I _totally_ get it now." Damon chuckled. "I'm also trying to figure out why people ever get out of bed."

Damon laughed. "Yeah, _now_, I think I'm going to stick to just bed and food. Maybe I can convince Bernie to just bring it to us. Of course, the occasional shower will be needed, but I think we could work it out."

"Damon, you've been having sex _this_ long and you're just coming to this conclusion?"

Damon leaned into her a little bit. "Elena," he spoke as if he were telling a secret. "Sex isn't like this for everyone."

Elena's lips parted in surprise. "Oh," she murmured.

"I mean, don't get me wrong. There's a reason why the world basically revolves around sex, but… when you love someone… it's very, very different."

Elena bit her lip. Being in his arms like this made her feel secure enough to make her next statement. "You've never told me who else you've loved," she murmured.

Damon smirked. "I've never really _been_ in love before." Elena's eyes widened in surprise. "I mean sure, there was that silly high school type of love, but… now_ I_ get it."

His words made Elena want to tackle him back into the bed for another round, but she settled for placing a kiss on his chest. "Then how'd you suspect we'd be so special?" She asked against his skin.

"My brothers wouldn't shut up about it." Elena cocked her eyebrows in doubt. "Oh, don't give me that look. They may talk a big game, but you get those saps drunk and they're worse than all the girls combined."

Elena smirked. "You know, I never thought I'd laugh this much during my first time. Tears, definitely. Laughing, not so much."

"Honey, I think we've had enough tears to last us a lifetime," he replied. "And as for the laughter thing, we're just both hilarious. We should do this for a show or something." Elena slapped his chest lightly as he chuckled.

She snuggled into him more, feeling some of the exhaustion of the long day take her over. Her descent into sleep was interrupted, though, by soft singing above her. _Bad_ singing, that is.

Her head shot up to regard him. "Are you singing Frankie Valli?" She cried.

"You told me it was your favorite song!" He replied.

"Not when you're singing it," she grumbled.

"Ouch!" Damon laughed. "Eh, I can handle it. My talents lie in other areas," he whispered, his hands sliding down to her ass to squeeze it gently.

Elena smirked as his arms tightened around her. Elena couldn't wipe the smile off of her face, contentment warming every bone in her body, but she growled when she heard him speak.

"Damon, tired. Go to sleep," she whined.

"Fine, fine. I'll let you sleep, but… can you tell me you love me again?"

"Ugh, no. You're getting far too greedy with it already. It's worth more if you hear it less often."

Damon sighed. "Well, then can I at least re-read my Christmas present?"

"Mhm, the entry's in the back," she mumbled, turning over onto her side as he slid out of the bed. He was back with the neglected journal in two seconds flat, but she couldn't work up the energy to curl back into him or even open her eyes. Besides his arms wouldn't have been able to wrap around her if he was reading.

Everything was perfect. Everything was right. Everything was about to shatter.

Elena would remember the moment forever. It was the moment her brain finally started working. The moment when logic hit her like a slap to the face and her gut twisted as she realized her careless mistake. But it was too late. She could already feel the tensing of the body beside her, the bitter words falling out of his mouth a sharp blade that cut straight through her heart.

"Wrong page."

**Ahh that was a good ten minutes you all thought I was an angel. Now I'm pretty sure I'm in the category of Satan for a whole bunch of you.**

**But I do hope you all could enjoy the other ninety five percent of the chapter. I guess we can go into the questions now, although I feel like you guys have enough words to say to me without any prompting (which by the way, I'm really going to enjoy the emails since they'll mostly be all asterisks given that you guys are probably about to cuss me out.)**

**1) The "Early Original Christmas": I loved being able to to write that scene. I just thought it was precious how the whole house kind of banded together to help Damon out and give Elena that present of going home for the holidays. I loved bringing that banter back in with everyone together since we really haven't had that for a while. Christmas is my favorite holiday so I really liked creating that "dream scene" where everyone was just so happy.**

**2) Stefan/Caroline/Klaus. I hope everyone is alright with the resolution of that storyline. About half of you all loved the idea of Steroline while the other half wanted Klaroline to work it out. I'd planned for it to work out like this since the beginning, so I hope everyone is at least content with how it came to be.**

**3) DAMON. Okay, I always have way too much fun writing fluff for you all, especially given such an angsty episode this week. This whole fic has been building up to this sort of scene where it's just really raw emotional intimacy and I just love how selfless Damon was by giving her the opportunity to go home. Plus, it was just so Damon for him to donate all that money to charity for her.**

**4) This is a bit more miscellaneous, but I really hope you all were really able to picture this chapter in your mind. (Not just the dirty part, ya pervs. :p) Many of you all have given me such an incredible compliment by telling me you're clearly able to see this story as though it were a movie in your minds, and I hope I was able to live up to that here. It's also kind of why I encouraged the music because it's basically what I would have pictured as the soundtrack if these were straight out of a film. I know a lot of you all might not be fans of T-Swizzle, but I loved the lyrics for this chapter, and besides the insinuation of cheating in the song, I think the words fit perfectly for just how Damon and Elena both felt. And of course, the title is ironic because...**

**5) I cannot write good smut. I cannot write good smut. I cannot write good smut. Which is _super_ lucky (sarcasm) for me given that you all have been waiting for almost 120,000 words for a scene like this. Also not helpful when it's basically half of the chapter. So I'm really, really, really sorry I didn't live up to the expectations there. I hope it wasn't too painful.**

**And finally, I feel like some of you all might have seen the ending coming, and I know you probably hate me for not letting you all be happy for more than five seconds, but it had to come to a head at some point. And _this_ is that point.**

**I'm not exactly sure when the next chapter of this will be posted. I have no doubt you all will be wanting one very, very soon so I'll do my best. Of course, please leave your highly motivating reviews. I'll make sure to get in a bomb shelter of sorts for the anger I'm more than likely going to receive.**

**Love you all to the moon and back (and just 2 chapters to go...)**

**PS: any dying whale noises and/or tears? Just curious ;)**


	17. Chapter 17: Like a Fool

**Oh hello? Did you come here for something? Were you looking for some sort of resolution for a really intense cliffhanger? Oh, well let me help you with that ;)**

**I would like to start off this section by saying: I have never ever ever ever EVER had this much difficulty writing a chapter than I did with writing this one. I like to compare it to dragging a screaming toddler through a crowded shopping mall by the arm because that's basically what it felt like. I just constantly put this chapter off because words just failed me and I felt like I was writing pure garbage. Hopefully, this chapter turned out decently after _weeks_ of working on it, but I will warn you: this is not the wonderful happiness that was Chapter 16. Not even close.**

**It didn't help that I've become utterly enthralled with MY NEW STORY AHH. Okay, so because I'm a masochist, I decided to start up ANOTHER multi-chapter after this one is finished, and now that I've started crafting it in my head, I. can't. stop. I'm obsessed. I actually wrote a 2,000 word outline for the entirety of the fic in half an hour the other day. I'm that crazy. Of course, I want to make sure you all love it as much as I do (I really hope you all will continue to read my fics after this is through) so I hope to post the prologue of that one soon-ish. Also at the end of this chapter, I'm revealing the tentative title and a small sneak peek so look for that.**

**Okay, since you guys keep saying you're on the edge of your seats in the reviews, I'll make these top notes shorter than usual and let you have at it.**

* * *

Chapter 17: Like a Fool

_I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name_  
_like a fool at the top of my lungs._  
_Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright_  
_but it's never enough._  
_'Cause my echo, echo_  
_is the only voice coming back._  
_My shadow, shadow_  
_is the only friend that I have._

Elena's body trembled in the freezing cold air, brisk winds smacking her near violently as she shoved her way through the streets. Her mind, in a desperate self-preservation attempt, was focused on only one goal: to get to her destination. But the blistering air and crowds made her want to just give up, collapse onto the damp cement and have another breakdown.

Her feet ached in her black knee-high boots. Although they were the right size, they were meant for fashion, not four mile walks on the sidewalks of New York City. Elena could have easily taken the subway or even a taxi, but instead she'd forced herself to walk all the way there. It was a unique type of punishment, a kind she was very familiar with, as she'd been inflicting it upon herself for the past week. Hot showers that nearly burned her skin, only the foods she abhorred for meals, and of course, the hourly mantra repetitions that fell somewhere along the lines of "You suck and don't deserve anything good in life."

Another of today's punishments involved the tight coated jeans Elena was wearing, the ones that didn't flatter her curvier hips and that were made of an itchy material. And although her greasy, limp hair would look far better in a ponytail, she'd worn it down, the long strands exposed for the entire world to see. She'd almost considered not allowing herself to wear a jacket over her lilac turtleneck, but with the lower than average temperatures in the city, she knew that hypothermia was a serious threat, not just a mild irritation. So she'd allowed herself the casual pea coat and dark purple beanie, but only because she didn't want to be sent to the hospital.

Elena strongly remembered this pattern of self-hate, one she'd developed soon after the Jeremy incident. Her parents, after placing their son in the special center, had noticed their daughter's sudden change in personality and sent her to a therapist, thinking she was just struggling with what Jeremy had done. But instead, Elena's little fib was revealed after only three sessions, and her time with the psychologist was extended to the next four years.

Dr. Balkan had been worried about Elena's obsessive need to punish herself, but Elena's bad habit had never extended to actual self-harm. They'd spent their sessions trying to break through Elena's shell, but Elena refused to let the help work. Because by allowing herself to be helped, Elena would have to concede that she _deserved_ to be helped. Elena had never wanted to go, but her parents had promised that if she stayed with it until the ninth grade, she'd be allowed to attend boarding school. Elena's desire to escape the house that just reminded her of her brother was acute. Therefore, Elena would nod her head and plant a big smile on her face each session, pretending that Dr. Balkan was actually getting through.

It was only a few days before Christmas, but her goal had an urgent deadline and she'd already had to wait long enough. And although her destination wasn't necessarily in the touristy section of the city, the impending holiday had brought the hoards to every block. Elena shoved forward, the bright sun from above almost mocking her mental distress.

And then she was there. Her pounding headache, the sore muscles in her legs and feet, nothing could faze her as she stared up at the skyscraper. All she needed to do was step inside the revolving door and press the button labeled 49 in the elevator. But she couldn't move from her spot. In fact, she was frozen in place as the icy air beat at her. This time, her trembles weren't caused by the chill, but by the fear.

This plan wasn't a guarantee. It was the _farthest_ thing from a guarantee. But it might work. And that .01% chance had brought Elena here. She'd only allowed herself to think of the possibility that it would go right, but now that she was standing moments from it, she could only picture the hopelessness of her case. And it was paralyzing.

She was jolted out of her thoughts by a body slamming into hers. Clearly, coming to a dead stop on a Manhattan sidewalk was an idiotic idea.

The older man who'd collided with her glared in disgust. "Fucking bitch," he muttered, shoving past her. _Deserved that_, Elena's subconscious whispered, but she shook her head tightly. There was no time for that now.

Elena's grip on her bag was fierce, because that simple black tote held the one thing that could set her free. It should have been on her shoulders, but she hadn't trusted it to be yanked off by some thief. She could have cared less about the wallet or the expensive cell phone. There was something far more valuable inside that she wouldn't let go of for the world, not until she was told just what it was worth.

So she took in a deep breath and pushed forward, her clammy hand pressing against the pristine glass door. She might be stuck in the middle of an ocean, but by God, she was going to fight for that lifeboat.

Elena's eyes shot open, staring straight ahead at the entrance to her bathroom. Although she'd never been held at gunpoint, she knew the way her body would react then was exactly the same as it felt now. Every muscle was tensed, every internal organ sinking. Never in her life had she experienced so much emotional upheaval in such a short span of time and she was absolutely paralyzed by it.

But no matter how badly she wanted to stay frozen in place, close her eyes shut and pretend the worst possible scenario hadn't just occurred, she knew that she had to save herself. She was starting to drown and she needed to kick her legs and wave her arms in a desperate attempt to stay afloat.

* * *

She abruptly sat up, clutching the comforter to cover herself, and finally regarded the man she loved. His expression was calm, but his eyes were on fire as he scanned the page he'd opened to. Elena had no clue what entry it was, the words hidden by the angle he was holding it at, and that meant she had no idea just what he knew she was guilty of.

"Damon, ple-"

"You have five motherfucking seconds to tell me this is not what I think it is."

His tone was spine chilling. It was monotone in its intensity and she'd never been more scared of anything in her entire life. His head slowly turned to her and Elena recognized that she was experiencing another first: the first time in her life that she'd ever had this much anger directed entirely at her.

She couldn't say a word in response, just staring at him as her eyes gave away a million different pleas. While his chest rose up and down in a steady pattern, each inhale an attempt to keep it together, Elena's breaths were as shallow and nonsensical as they'd been only ten minutes earlier. Of course, the differences between those ten minutes were innumerable.

Elena realized now she'd never been prepared for the confrontation. She'd always just assumed Damon would find out the news far, far away from her. She'd have months to craft a response if she ever did run into him. But Elena had been an idiot not to think it through after what had occurred with Katherine. She couldn't formulate any sort of response in this state. Her mind was somehow both foggy and crystal clear at the same time.

Damon's loud bitter scoff made her jump in her place. He turned his head away and stared directly ahead at the wall. Almost as if in slow motion, she watched him run his hands over his face and his calm anger turn into wrath.

The journal was flung across the room and smacked against the wall, causing Elena to flinch. "Tell me what the fuck it is, Elena!" His growl was louder this time, but still eerily not at a full meltdown yet. Elena gulped, although it only caused more pain thanks to her dry throat. Gratitude hit her for a split second that the notebook was far away enough to stop any of his attempts to read more.

"Y-you know what it is," Elena murmured. She barely recognized her own voice. It was weak and feeble, as though she'd been through hours of torture.

"You're right. I have a pretty damn good idea of what it is, but I'd like to get the viewpoint of someone who's a lot more familiar with it." Of course, it wasn't a Damon Salvatore breakdown unless there was some sort of sarcasm involved. She'd always prided herself in her ability to roll with his occasional punches, but this felt like she was going into the ring with her hands tied behind her back. She had absolutely no defense, not one she could admit anyway.

"I, um…" She took a deep breath, staring at her hands that were clutching the comforter to cover herself.

"I swear to God, Elena, if you don't look me in the eyes when you tell me this…" Previously, if Damon had wanted her eye contact, he would have gently grabbed her chin and held her face there. But she was fairly sure he couldn't even bring himself to touch her.

"She approached _me_," she snapped while lifting her eyes up, her body ready to finally release the secrets she'd been holding back for so long. "This woman, Victoria. She's a publisher and she found me _somehow_." Elena held back the information that Victoria was well acquainted with the other girls in the house, thereby giving her easy access to Elena. "I…" Her voice faltered as she continued, trembling with its anxiety. "I had just found out about the Original girl… thing and how my entire career would go down the toilet if I continued writing your book for you. I was so scared and then… then I hated you when you came into my room that night and I was angry at the Originals for not telling me when _they_ knew and I just… I signed on… I was writing both books for about two months."

Damon's entire body was rigid as his focus burned just an inch above her head. This was the point where she had to tread carefully, where her words and reasoning couldn't be completely honest. "When you offered to have me stay as just a guest… I wanted to stop. Damon, I _swear_. Every bone in my body wanted to stop. But I was in too deep at that point. Victoria had things she could hold against me and I had to keep writing it or else she'd… use them."

Suddenly, Damon shot up from the bed, picking up his pants and sliding them back on haphazardly. Elena forcefully turned her gaze away, his brief nakedness a brutal reminder of what had just occurred. She tightened the comforter around her and sat up even more, his back still facing her. Her fear of losing him made her lungs tighten as the harsh, cold reality of the situation continued to smack her in the face.

"Damon, everything I said to you before… It _wasn't_ a lie. You have to believe that." She began to choke up, the lump in her throat growing deeper. "I need you to believe that I've been doing this every step of the way abhorring it. I love the Originals and god, Damon, I love _you_." She said those last words with as much emphasis as she possibly could, each word spoken as if it were its own sentence.

Clearly, her impassioned plea wasn't completely lost on Damon, at least not yet. And a small part of her found hope in that what had happened earlier couldn't be totally destroyed in five minutes. His hands braced themselves on the small table in front of him, his back tense as he stared through the dark window.

His voice was almost as weak as hers had been and Elena swore he was trying to fight tears. "Why didn't you come to me? If you wanted to stop so badly… why didn't you?"

Elena swallowed at his question, deciding she should be as honest as she could possibly be. "Because I was trying to _protect_ you. I was trying to protect everyone." But then she flinched, completely ready to slap her _own_ self in the face. _Stupid, stupid word choice._

Any and all hope he'd had earlier that this was redeemable almost visibly rushed out of him. He let out another bitter and cutting laugh and whipped around on her. "Yes, clearly protecting all of us was _exactly_ what was on your mind when you sold your soul and all our secrets to some she-devil bitch!"

"Damon, you don't understand-"

"No… no, I don't. And see, that's the difference between you and me. I will _never_ understand this." With his piercing words, he ran his hands furiously through his hair, pacing back and forth in small, crazed circles.

Elena, knowing Damon almost better than he knew himself, could clearly see what his brain was doing: damage control. "Tell me what I can do, Damon. Please just tell me what I can do to fix this."

"There's nothing you can do, Elena!" Damon roared. "You threw us all under the bus! You've been lying to all of us for _months_! You can't take that back. You can't fix this!" Elena shakily wrapped her arms more tightly around herself, shaking her head back and forth like a small child who'd been unfairly punished. She buried her face in her hands, nearly digging her nails into the flesh of her forehead.

After a few more moments of Elena attempting to hold back sobs, Damon abruptly stopped in his frantic movements. "I want to see it. Now."

Elena lifted her head up and almost let out a cry when she saw his eyes. When before they'd been overflowing with emotion and love, now they were almost completely dead. He was regarding her as if she were nothing, just some body in his bed. She'd been expecting more anger, more disappointment. She deserved to be screamed at for hours, to be told how worthless she was. But this… this complete lack of humanity… it still hurt like a bitch. He'd turned it all off and now he was focused on only one task: taking care of his family.

"Are you sure?" She inquired warily, her voice as broken as she was.

He nodded once, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He was monotone in speech. "I need to know how bad it is. And since I'm sure whoever Victoria is already has drafts so that we can't pull it…" He regarded Elena in confirmation but her lack of response gave her answer. "Then, yes, I need to see it."

Elena awkwardly tucked the comforter underneath her armpits, scooting forward toward where he stood, and leaning over the side of the bed to reach the laptop that was plugged in on the floor, making an effort to not expose too much of herself. She sat back up and opened the device. Although her computer was incredibly fast, the seconds it took to load the document felt like hours under his gaze.

She gave one nod to acknowledge that she'd located it and he sat down a good two feet away from her as she placed the laptop in his outstretched hands. They sat in silence as he scrolled through the document, the tense atmosphere punctuated occasionally with swears and deep exhales.

"Well, you really just put fucking everything in here, didn't you?" He muttered emotionlessly, after he'd deemed he'd seen enough.

"Not everything," she murmured, her gaze flickering to him. She was surprised to see he was staring at her as well. And even more surprisingly, she saw the slightest glimpse of the humanity he'd forgone moments earlier.

Elena was reminded of playing tug-of-war when she was a child as they held each other's gaze. It was just like that moment when you glance in front of you and you realize your side is losing. The ribbon is past the line drawn in the ground and it's not in your favor. And you _know_ it's hopeless. The other team is too strong, has too much rope already. But you, in this one human burst of faith and hope and optimism, yank as hard as you possibly can. You find this strength that you would never find otherwise, a strength that stems from deep inside of you. And you pull so hard that your hands and forearms ache for hours afterwards, regardless of how short the moment lasts.

Elena knew she'd lost Damon, but she had to give it her all in the last minutes she had left with him. She couldn't touch him because movement would only break the tension in the air. She couldn't speak because he'd proved earlier that he wouldn't listen. So she held his gaze, willing him not to break it. Her eyes were giving her unspoken plea that he wouldn't let go of what had just occurred in her bedroom. That he would never stop believing that she loved him.

But when it came to that moment in tug-of-war, it always ended the same way. The whistle blew and you nearly collapsed, your arms shaking as you sunk into the ground with your teammates, the other side cheering in victory. No matter how much extra tug you gave, you always, _always_ lost.

"Let's go," Damon slammed the laptop shut and chucked it onto the floor, the loud thunk making Elena flinch. "Put some damn clothes on."

As he picked up his shirt from the other side of the bed, Elena crinkled her eyebrows. "Where are we going?" she murmured.

The third bitter laugh of the night escaped him as he bent over and retrieved the laptop again. "_You_ are going to tell the rest of the house how you basically dry fucked them in the ass because _I'm_ sure as hell not doing it."

Elena took a deep breath and began to move from her place when she stopped, blushing. She couldn't even fathom being naked in front of him at this point.

Damon's impatience flared, a bit more emotion finally reaching his tone. "Or, you know, you can do it _without_ clothes on. Either way is fine with me."

Elena gulped and clumsily slid out of the bed, hating how exposed she felt. As she bent down to pick up her dress from the floor, making sure to cover herself as much as possible, she shot a quick glance in his direction, her curiosity getting the best of her. Yet, her fears of him regarding her in disgust were only partially confirmed. He'd turned his back on her, apparently unable to even look at her.

She sniffled, more humiliation hitting her as she haphazardly tugged the dress over her head, forgoing her bra and underwear. The damn tights were ruined anyways.

She murmured a half-hearted "okay," and followed him to the door, trailing behind him as he walked the halls and descended the staircase. This treatment was mind-boggling to her. She hated this overwhelming sense of apathy on his part, although she could sense that all of his emotions were ready to burst underneath the surface. He led her into the kitchen and she watched some of his anger release itself through the harsh mashing of the button on the intercom. A loud, obnoxious buzz sounded throughout the whole house, one meant to alert the other Originals that they needed to come downstairs.

Damon placed the laptop on the breakfast table, flipping the screen up and gesturing to it, signaling Elena to type in the password. Elena obliged, weakly shuffling over to enter it. The second she was done and the damned document graced the desktop again, she gasped as she felt strong hands roughly clasp around her shoulders. The last time he'd done that particular move, it had been to pull her into his arms and capture his lips with her own.

This time, though, he practically shoved her into the middle of the room, her back to the breakfast table. She whimpered a bit at his fierce grip, but not because of any sort of physical pain. Damon crossed the room to the intercom, slamming his whole hand into it about five more times, and Elena could practically hear the grumbles from upstairs.

He then moved out of her eyesight and she heard the chair scrape against the hardwood floors as he settled in, reading more of her stupid, _stupid_ book. Her palms began to sweat as she imagined what she was about to be faced with and she tried to form the words in her head, hoping that maybe she could do a better job than she had with Damon.

His voice broke the silence after a minute or so. "What happened with the contract?" He asked. "Not scared of a lawsuit or is there a loophole I should know about?"

_Always so smart._

"Page 34, section A," Elena replied immediately. She'd studied that section enough damn times to know its location by heart.

"Of fucking course," he spat back. She heard the click of her track pad as he continued to scroll through. "When is it supposed to be published?" He continued the conversation as though they were talking about the weather.

"Sometime in the spring…" She could almost feel his surprise behind her. "She wanted a rush order."

He didn't respond to the last comment and Elena finally couldn't take this odd form of retaliation any longer. She spun around on him, her sudden movement not visibly fazing him in the slightest. "God, Damon, what _is_ this? Some sick form of torture or shock or what?! Where's the anger? Where's the screaming at me until you're blue in the face? You should be calling me _every_ name in the book. Show me how much you hate me! _Tell_ me how much you hate me!"

"Like you wanted me to do the other night?" Damon replied stone-faced, his gaze finally meeting hers. Elena realized within the second that he'd finally put _that_ puzzle piece in, too.

"Yeah," she mumbled, her small moment of courage completely gone.

"Right now, Elena… I don't even know where to start with you. And I'm not sure if you deserve even the slightest bit of sentiment from me."

Before Elena could even feel hurt, the rest of the group was sleepily filing into the kitchen. And seeing them made Elena crumble. She lifted her violently shaking hand to her face and let out a choked sob, each Original looking at her with concern. She lost it a bit more when she realized how quickly that sympathy would fade once she told them what she'd done.

"Elena, what's wrong?" Lexi cried, rushing forward to embrace her. But before she could make it even halfway to her, Damon's sharp, apathetic tone halted her pace.

"_Stop_, Lexi," Damon countered. "Elena has something she needs to tell you all and I think once you hear it, you won't want to be that close to her." Damon didn't even move from his position as he spoke, his eyes still focused on the computer screen as though Elena's announcement was as trivial as her most recent shopping trip.

Lexi's eyebrows furrowed but she shot a comforting half-smile in Elena's direction and backed away to Stefan's side, following Damon's orders.

Elena's eyes scanned the group of people in front of her, the group that had become her second family over the past six months. They all looked utterly confused, and rightfully so. Elena hadn't looked in a mirror, but she more than likely looked the part of the walk of shame. She'd noticed that Damon's outfit appeared fairly rumpled as well and it wouldn't take a genius to figure out what they'd been doing earlier. To all of the Originals, Damon had spent the evening giving her a big romantic surprise. They'd been expecting to see her the next morning with suitcases in tow, not late at night in their kitchen, crying like a small child.

When Elena's eyes finally scanned to the end of the line, she was surprised to see Katherine's expression. She looked almost… concerned. Katherine knew exactly what Elena was about to say, yet instead of the smug smirk Elena had expected, she was biting her lip worriedly.

"Come on, Elena. Clock's ticking," Damon interjected impatiently.

Elena slowly lowered her hand from her mouth, entangling her fingers in front of her and took a shaky breath, attempting to calm herself as much as she possibly could.

"Um…" she began, her voice barely holding its own. "In a few months, a book is going to be released… It contains a lot of details… _personal_ details about you all. Secrets, private stories… And I, um… _I _wrote it." She cracked on the last three words, scrunching her face to hold back more tears and bowing her head in shame.

It was dead silent. A silence so alluring that Elena had to glance back up to face the ones she had betrayed. Her eyes focused on the first Original she could see. Stefan, who'd somehow been placed directly in front of her, had his jaw dropped, shock and worry marring his beautiful features. In her peripheral, Elena could see much of the same gracing the faces of all the others as they all tried to connect the dots. But before she could fully regard another member of the group, a sharp pain rippled across her skin.

A hard, bruising slap administered by none other than Caroline.

"You bitch!" The blonde screamed at the top of her lungs. Her face had somehow turned fire engine red in the few seconds since she heard it. "You've ruined _everything_! 'Your secret's safe with me?' What a load of _bullshit_!"

Elena's hand had lifted to clasp the place where Caroline had hit, but the second she'd grazed over it, she winced in pain. It hurt already… and badly. But she had bigger issues to worry about and that involved the volatile woman in front of her who was about to make a huge mistake.

"Caroline," she murmured, her eyes frantic. But she had no clue how to stop her.

"Don't you _dare_ speak right now," Caroline cried. "You have no right to defend yourself. You lied. You promised me you wouldn't tell anyone, but the whole time you were just writing every fucking word down." The anger was now mixed with a heavy set of tears. "I can't believe I trusted you. I can't believe I thought you were my _friend_."

"No, Caroline, you have to understand-"

Caroline's eyes flared up and she was seconds away from delivering a tirade of verbal abuse, but suddenly a voice from behind halted her attempts.

"Caroline, don't say something you're going to regret."

Elena's eyes widened as everyone's heads turned to the brunette who had stepped out of the line. She had her hand raised in a motion similar to a crossing guard at an elementary school, her eyes speaking a million words. Elena nearly gasped when she realized what Katherine was doing.

"_Excuse_ me?!" When Caroline was angry, it didn't matter who you were. If you got in her way, you would be attacked.

"Caroline, stop. She didn't put it in there." Katherine's tone was calm and focused. She had made up her mind: she'd sacrifice herself to prevent Caroline from screwing up even more than she already had.

Even Damon was shaken by Katherine's proclamation. "Wait, you _knew_ about this?!"

Caroline's face crumpled even more with her confusion. "Oh my god. How did you know about me and Stefan?!"

And there it was. The one thing Elena had been working for, keeping the secret safe, she'd failed miserably at. "Shit," she cried quietly, her eyes scrunching shut. The past few months, the entire book… all of her efforts and the pain she'd caused had been for naught.

Watching the revelation hit the room was like watching a slow-motion train wreck. Katherine ran her hands through her hair in frustration, realizing her attempts at keeping the blonde in check had only thrown everyone under the bus. Lexi had backed several feet away from Stefan, glaring at him with a mixture of shock and fury.

"What the fuck-" She murmured.

"Lexi, wait," Stefan was trying so hard to maintain control, but he was failing miserably.

Almost immediately after saying it did Katherine's earlier warning hit Caroline. She clasped a hand to her mouth, her expression morphing into one of complete pain and regret. "No," she muttered, her head whipping back and forth from Elena to Katherine and then to the rest of the group.

The most heartbreaking moment of all was when she made eye contact with Klaus. "No, no, Nik," she cried, her entire body shaking under his manic glare.

"What the hell did you do, Caroline?" His voice was trembling thanks to his overwhelming anger, his eyes on fire.

"Nik..." It was as if she'd lost the ability to speak. Elena had never even heard Caroline refer to him by anything other than Klaus. Elena fell back into the table behind her, the wood creaking under her weight as she steadied herself with her hands. She'd broken everyone. She'd ruined everything. And all of it had been a waste.

Elijah, knowing his brother better than anyone, was able to grab him before he could do anything. As Klaus lunged towards Stefan, Elijah had him by the shoulders, using most of his strength to hold him back. Once Kol realized that Elijah wouldn't be able to keep him back on his own, he'd crossed the room to aid his brother. Klaus was practically rabid under his brothers' holds.

"Tell me what the _fuck_ happened!" he roared. And the fragile awkwardness of the moment suddenly morphed into an all-out war.

Both Lexi and Caroline began to alternate between crying and screaming as the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Stefan continued his pointless attempts at placating the situation as best he could, but it was obvious that it would take days before a rational discussion could be had. Elijah and Kol were still caught in the mess, given that Klaus had yet to calm down, and Anna and Katherine were having a heated debate, the first of many for Katherine given that she'd announced to the whole room that she'd known about Elena's betrayal and just neglected to mention it. And the whole while, Elena could only watch it happen. Although her mistake was a terrible one, it had become miniscule in importance to the situation at hand. Instead, she was forced to helplessly watch the group fall apart. Even worse was the male presence now standing behind her. She knew he was going to address her before he even started talking.

"Are you happy with yourself?" He spat out, his fists clenched at his sides. It was clear how overriding his fury was. He couldn't even bring himself to help his family, still intent on taking Elena down with them.

"Of course not!" she sobbed, whirling around to face him. "I _hate_ this. I hate all of this! At one point, yes, I would have loved to see you all fall on your asses… But now?!" She took a deep gasping breath, a worthless attempt at keeping her voice under control. "God, for the past few months, I have feared this day with every _inch_ of my heart and I tried so hard to stop it from coming. But you… you will _never_ see that and I can't make you see that. I've just…" She paused for a brief moment, seeing that her rant was having some effect on him.

The room had grown a bit quieter as she finished her speech. It was mostly just quiet crying and deathly stares. Elena turned her head and watched as both Lexi and Klaus tried to leave the room at the same time, their significant others stopping them with pulls on the arm. Stefan was murmuring apologies and whispered explanations into Lexi's ear as she tried to hold it together while Caroline was spluttering out choked pleas for Klaus to stay. Everyone else in the room was just staring at the mess that had been made.

She turned back to Damon, every ounce of fatigue hitting her all at once. She felt like she'd been run over by a bus. Wearily, she shook her head back and forth. All of the fight in her was gone. "I've run out of things to say, Damon. And I'm _tired_ of trying."

At her last words, Damon gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. His cold, unfazed exterior remained, but his eyes flared up again. He cleared his throat and she could almost physically see as he prepared to unleash his last stinging barb.

"I see," he nodded. "Well, I'm sorry we've made this situation _such_ a hassle for you." He leaned his head down, only inches from her face. His tone was dripping in venom. "Believe me, if I'd known what you were doing, I would have fucked the virginity out of you a hell of a lot sooner."

Elena's entire body tensed as though she'd been slapped. A quick flip-through of her life indicated that she had _never_ been told something that purposefully cruel. Elena may have stabbed Damon in the back, but she felt like _she'd_ been stabbed directly in the heart.

She only held it together for a few seconds before her face crumpled and she shoved forward, making her way towards the closest exit. Elena spun around right as she hit the archway that led towards the main part of the house, barely able to see through her tear-soaked eyes. Everyone's gaze was on her. Apparently all had heard Damon's last remark. She had to ignore the slight amount of remorse in a few of their eyes.

"I am _so_ sorry," she cried, pouring as much genuine emotion into her words as she could. But she knew it was a ridiculous effort. She rushed back out of the room, a hand clutching at her stomach as a wave of nausea hit her. Every emotion came in waves: the guilt, the despair, the frustration, the hopelessness. She wanted to just collapse but she pushed forward, racing up the stairs and to her room. Her mind was now completely focused on getting the hell out of the house and back home as quickly as humanly possible.

But her mission of packing up all of her things while she sobbed was postponed when she reached her open door. Inside were the two people she'd completely forgotten she'd hurt… two people who must have overheard the entire debacle… and they were packing her things.

"No," she cried, holding her hand to her mouth. Seeing Bernie and Warren pulling her clothes out of their respective places killed her inside. While Warren was doing his job with an indifferent expression, Bernie's face held the pain she felt for her employers. She rushed forward, pushing into Bernie's space where she was placing Elena's folded shirts into her suitcase.

"Please, _please_," she begged. "You have to understand. I was trying to protect everyone. I didn't want to hurt them."

"But you did, Elena," Bernadette's voice was calm, regardless of the moisture in her eyes. "You _did_ hurt them. And they are very broken right now and it's best if you leave."

Elena's face crumbled. Even the woman who had always been her ally was disappointed in her. Yet everything she'd said was right.

Elena nodded. "I know, but y-you don't have to pack for me. I don't deserve any help."

"I think the sooner you are out of here the better," she replied stoically, as she moved into the bathroom to gather more of Elena's things.

Elena stood in the middle of the room, scrunching her eyes shut as tears streamed down her cheeks. She took a deep shuddering breath and then worked up enough energy to walk towards the closet. But as she made her way to the walk-in, she nearly ran into Warren.

He was holding about five pairs of her jeans, regarding her thoroughly. She'd really only been this close to him a few times since she'd entered the house and somehow, although he was old and mute, it was intimidating. With trembling hands, she reached her arms forward and he delicately placed the jeans in her grasp.

"I am so sorry," she repeated, a bit more quietly but still as genuinely as she possibly could.

Warren's next action caused her to nearly drop the pile of pants onto the floor.

"Fight for him."

Elena gasped. His voice was rough, indicating the fact that he rarely spoke. She whipped her head around, wondering if Bernie had overheard him, but she was still in the bathroom.

With eyes wide and mouth agape, Elena turned back to him. "Wh-what?!" She stuttered.

"_Fight_ for him. Don't you dare give up."

Elena shook her head from side to side, still in complete disbelief that he was talking to her. "B-but there's nothing I can do. I've exhausted every option. I destroyed them. I destroyed _me_. It's over."

"It's not over until you want it to be over. There's still a fight left. Fight for him." He repeated himself for a third and final time.

Elena faltered as Bernie walked back in the room. Her eyes gave away that she'd heard the last part of his speech. Elena put the jeans down on the bed and walked to the chair on the opposite side of the room, needing to sit to absorb all of the new information. Obviously, Bernie hadn't been lying when she referred to Warren talking. He just didn't talk to anyone else.

She buried her head in her hands, hearing the slow movements of more packing surrounding her. Her brain was racing at a million miles a second, different thoughts connecting and re-connecting as if trying to solve some sort of impossible puzzle. When suddenly, everything stopped.

_She had to keep pulling on that rope._

Elena's head shot up, fast enough to cause Bernie and Warren to cease their work. "I can fix this," Elena murmured. "Oh my god. I might be able to fix this."

Her eyes finally caught with Bernie's and immediately the older woman sensed the question in her eyes. "No, Ms. Gilbert," she exclaimed.

Elena shot up from her chair, rushing over to Bernie's side as she furiously went back to packing Elena's suitcase. "Listen to me, I think I figured something out. I figured out a way to fight."

"I will not help you in this," she replied steadily.

Elena grabbed Bernie's hands, causing her to stop folding. "Bernie, I don't want to hurt them. I want to help them. I want to _protect_ them. But I just need your help. This might be able to go away, but I need your help… Please. I am _begging_ you to let me help them. Let me fight."

The woman's eyes flickered back and forth between the wide-eyed, sleep-deprived girl in front of her to her husband standing behind. Elena had no clue what Warren's expression was indicating, but she noticed Bernie's gaze go soft.

"What do you need me to do?"

* * *

"Elena?"

The red haired woman somehow looked more homely in person. Although Elena had met her once before, she assumed that the loathing she'd built up towards Victoria had caused her to look increasingly more unattractive.

"What are you doing here?" Victoria was almost immediately back in control of the situation, although Elena's surprise arrival had clearly shaken her a bit. "Come to _hand_-deliver your final draft?" She pushed out of the large chair behind her desk, her four-inch stilettos clacking against the immaculate hardwood floors as she made her way to the brunette. "You look tragic, by the way."

Elena ignored the immature remark and opened the tote bag, pulling out the first and thicker manila folder inside. "Yes, I did," she replied as she nearly shoved the document in Victoria's face.

Her expression was curious, just as Elena expected. Victoria definitely wasn't stupid and she didn't have difficulty noting when something was amiss. She walked back to the front of the desk and then turned, leaning her skinny ass against the large oak monstrosity. Victoria undid the latch and whipped the document out. Her eyes hastily scanned the words and her hands began to viciously flip through the pages. Elena had to hold back a smirk as she watched the woman's face grow paler and her eyes widen in anger.

"What the _fuck_ is this?" She hissed.

Elena stepped forward, a surge of confidence keeping her steady.

"How about you and I make a little deal?"

**Woo, that last line totally reminds me of Katherine there. BUT moving on, what did we think? (Again remember: screaming toddler).**

**I think it's funny that, over the holiday, I went and saw this Wizard of Oz at the symphony thing and it was almost halfway through it that I realized: oh yeah, I write a fic with a reference to that. I haven't completely followed the storyline, obviously, but I think it's interesting that in the film, you have characters searching for a brain, a heart, a courage, and a way back home, yet they realize in the end they have it all along. Although it wasn't done on purpose, I somewhat see that in the characters of this fic. I'm actually going to be pulling a quote from the film and putting it in the next chapter so be on the lookout.**

**What do we think about Damon's reaction? When I'd initially planned this chapter out, I'd been set on having Damon just scream at Elena for the entirety of the chapter, but once I started writing, I just couldn't seem him doing that. I saw him wanting to protect his family and to basically just "turn off his humanity" once he got hurt. After exposing so much of himself in the last chapter and having it basically screw him over, I just couldn't seem him spend an entire chapter being that vulnerable. But let me know what you think.**

**Anybody's heart break when Caroline screwed up? I hated writing that. Just in case the car wreck wasn't bad enough we had to throw an eighteen-wheeler into the mix. But alas, everything is out in the open now. What are your theories for what happens in THE FINAL CHAPTER?! What do you think Elena's deal is? I feel like it's pretty obvious, but I'm curious to hear your opinions.**

**Okay, so as promised above, I wanted to give you a little sneak peek into my next story on here. The title is "Wicked Innocence" (for now, I might change it) and the corresponding quote that's basically meant to encompass the whole fic is "All things truly wicked start from innocence." – Ernest Hemingway. You all can theorize as to whatever that means and hopefully I will be able to get that prologue up soon. Like I said, I'm excited about it (like... really) and I hope you all are, too. (Subscribe so that you can get an email when it's posted!)**

**But there is one thing that makes me very, very sad and that is the fact that there _is_ only one chapter left in this story. I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for the success of this story. It's by far my most well-received and popular fic and it makes me sad that anything after this might not live up to the same high standards and entertain the same wonderful community. But alas, as much as it kills me to see an "era" end with YBR, I'm really happy to give you all an ending, since you guys seem to be ready for it. I'm definitely overly excited to write the next chapter. I do have exams for the next two and half weeks so unfortunately you won't be getting it before they are over, but it might be a nice little Christmas present for you all ;)**

**OH AND REVIEWS. Remember that whole "I need reviews like oxygen" thing? Please, please, please keep that up. THERE IS ONLY ONE TIME MORE AFTER THIS I'M ASKING FOR A REVIEW SO PLEASE LEAVE THEM. I'd really like to reach a certain review goal winkwink so please keep it up. **

**I love you all so so much.**


	18. Chapter 18: Be Here Now

**Oh. My. God.****It's done. **

**Wow, I'm still in shock that this story is actually over. Almost seven months later, after eighteen chapters and over one hundred thousand words, we have reached the end. And it's been one absolutely crazy and insane journey. But I'm so incredibly thankful for it and for you all.**

**Releasing this story is scary, given that once it's over, it's over, and I might never get a similar response to any of my other fics. I'm closing the door on this particular version of Damon and Elena and once I press the upload button, I'm letting go of this story completely. But it's also exciting. I've worn this story out and I'm ready to start fresh with my newest fic. And I'm happy to give you an ending that I'm happy with. After all of your patience and kind words and love, you deserve it.**

**So here it is. It's ridiculously long and angsty and filled to the brim with information (don't worry. If you get confused, I'll restate everything that went down at the end). But I hope you love it. I hope it's what you wanted and that you won't want to strangle me after it's done. This chapter is my thank you letter to you all.**

* * *

Chapter 18: Be Here Now

_Don't let your soul get lonely_

_Child, it's only time, it will go by_

_Don't look for love in faces, places_

_It's in you, that's where you'll find kindness_

"You're ignoring me."

"Jesus Christ." The last time Damon's heart had stopped that suddenly had been the first time he'd ever seen a naked woman. He reached out, flicking on the light switch although he didn't need it. He could only see a wild tuft of blonde hair peek out from the top of the leather back, but he knew exactly who it was.

Caroline spun the large chair around, arms tightly crossed over her chest, her gaze finally meeting his. It had been about a month since he'd last seen her in person, but her accusatory glare made him wish that that time could be extended.

Damon closed the door of his large office behind him, dropping the bags of the takeout lunch he'd picked up onto the oak desk. "You hungry?" He asked calmly, beginning to take out the Styrofoam containers.

"You're _ignoring_ me," she repeated. "Why?"

"I'm not ignoring you, Care." He still refused to directly meet her gaze. "I've been busy."

"Hmm, let me guess." Caroline stood up, leaning forward on the desk and stabilizing herself with two spread hands. Damon could actually feel her breath on his face. "You've been avoiding any sort of emotion for the past six months, spending your time either drowning yourself in work or alcohol. Whenever you feel too high strung, you go find some girl's hole to fill, ignoring the large Elena-shaped one of your own."

At the mention of her name, Damon harshly slammed the to-go cup in his hand onto the wood, popping the lid off and causing some of the liquid to slosh out. He let out a wearied sigh, hastily walking towards a cabinet on the wall and pulling out a roll of paper towels.

"Hey, let me." Caroline's rough tone from earlier was gone, her more maternal nature kicking in. She came over to him, ripping off a few sheets for his own sticky hand before heading back to the spill. "It's my fault anyways. I riled you up."

Damon let out a slight laugh. "Take it as a compliment. Very few people can these days." Once he was done getting the tea off of his fingers, he glanced up at his friend. Her eyes were focused on cleaning the spill near perfectly, but he could see some tears forming in them. Although Damon had always considered one of his talents to be a knack for handling female tears, he hated to see them regardless. Especially when they came from women he actually cared about.

Caroline may call him out on his bullshit, but that's what he loved about her.

"Hey, Care." Damon crossed the room but before he could reach out to her, she turned on him, chucking the wet paper towels into the trashcan.

"Please don't hate me!" She cried, her face growing red. "Everyone hates me. Please don't hate me."

"No, no. Shh." Damon wrapped his arms around her, stroking his palms gently down her shaking back. "Caroline, I could never hate you. You know that."

Caroline had always had an affinity for having emotions that could turn on a dime. Her sniffles faded quickly and she pulled herself out of his embrace within moments. "Then why have you been avoiding me?" She asked seriously.

"Because… I didn't have anything to talk about. Plus, I've been trying to give you all some time to… settle down. Figure everything out. I didn't want to get in the middle."

"You mean you didn't want to show whose side you're on." A scoff accompanied her words.

"I'm not on anyone's side in this. You know that."

Caroline let out a dramatic sigh, glancing around the room. A small grin lifted the corners of her mouth up. "Those fries do smell _really_ good." The not-so-subtle hint was practically dripping off of her words.

Damon laughed, handing her the box. "Have at 'em. I shouldn't be eating them anyways."

Caroline plopped into one of the chairs on the opposite side of the desk, allowing him to have his own back, while she popped open the lid. He barely allowed her to get three of them down before his interrogative side kicked in.

"So why are you here?" Damon asked, grabbing one of the cups that hadn't actually spilled.

"I told you already. I was tired of being ignored." Caroline replied haughtily, sucking some of the salt off of her thumb.

"Nope, you have a motive. I can tell."

"I'm sorry. _Who_ exactly is the journalist in this room?" Amidst all of the other shit the Originals had had to deal with once they'd come back to the States, all of the Original girls had been required to get new jobs, given that no one in their industry was going to support their writing careers. Caroline, with her naturally intuitive senses and love of gossip, had chosen a position as an entertainment journalist. Sure, some strings had been pulled, but apparently, she'd been blowing everyone at the office away with her hard work.

"Seriously, Care. Spill."

She let out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine. Two reasons. The most important one being boredom."

"Isn't your job keeping you busy?"

"I'm doing the exact same thing every single day, Damon! I wake up, I go to work, I come home, go to counseling for hours on end, and then spend the rest of the night crying myself to sleep. I just needed something new, something else."

Damon knew he was treading on thin ice here, but his curiosity overrode his fear. "How's that going?"

Caroline took a deep breath, lackadaisically picking up and dropping a fry a few times in a row. "Honestly, it's better. Not much, but it's getting there. I mean, we've had private sessions, couples' sessions… hell, a few weeks back we had one with _all_ of us." Damon's eyes widened at the surprising news. "Yeah. The word uncomfortable didn't even begin to describe it."

Damon was still shocked by the amount of effort they were putting into fixing things. Clearly, they had to love each other to want to work that hard at it.

"_But_," she continued. "Our therapist actually thinks we should go on the trip." That news was even more surprising. "She said that if we're ever going to get back to normal, we have to test ourselves in normalcy."

"Wait, that doesn't make any sense," Damon replied. "Vacations are difficult for couples that are in a _good_ place. How in the world is that going to help you guys?"

"She said that we've spent enough time being apart. If we want to make it work, we have to actually try. We have to prove that we can survive through the tough shit. A vacation is basically a pressure cooker for stress and we need to see if we can make it through that together. Plus, we have to make sure we can be around Stefan and Lexi without wanting to rip each other's throats out. It's all about baby steps and then one giant leap of faith. The first half of this year was the baby step part. This… this is the leap. But I will say that we need to be a lot more grown-up this year. We have to be practical about it."

"Oh, believe me," Damon leaned back in his chair, taking a long sip of the iced tea. "Practicality is _just_ what I need right now."

"'Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable.'" Caroline replied dreamily. Damon's head shot up. He'd know that quote anywhere. One of the many phases he'd gone through as a child had been a Wizard of Oz one. He'd been obsessed, constantly making his nannies play it over and over again. Although he'd never deign to copy it, it was still one of his goals to make a film that would provoke other children to have a "phase" like his.

But he was more concerned with the connotation behind her remark. Although she'd experienced enough heartbreak the past few months, the way her gaze was hidden meant that comment was entirely directed at him. "Please don't turn this conversation in the direction I think you're trying to."

"Damon-" He cut her off by abruptly standing, placing himself in front of the large floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the downtown area.

Damon had been through plenty of mental mindfucks, but he was fairly sure the worst came when Katherine had explained what she knew about Elena's book. She'd mentioned how she'd read Elena's journal a few weeks earlier, but she'd kept it quiet for the same reason Elena had been forced to continue. Nobody had wanted the secret of the Caroline and Stefan affair to come out. But, of course, when that secret had been spilled, all of their effort had been for naught.

Damon knew now that the Originals wouldn't ever break their bonds, but he'd legitimately been afraid of it that moment when Katherine had revealed the girls' secret. Every man in the group had to look at the woman they loved differently now. Damon had spent a few days in a drunken stupor, utterly convinced that no one in their clan would be able to survive that train wreck of a revelation.

Caroline's meek voice sounded from behind him. "Damon, um… did you…" She stumbled over her words. "Did you read it?"

Damon's entire body tensed. He didn't respond.

Caroline must have assumed he hadn't heard her. "Did you read her book?"

"Yes." He snapped through gritted teeth.

There was a heavy pause behind him. "Oh."

He turned around, then. "What do you mean, '_oh_?'"

"I just… I thought after reading it, you'd… _sway_. It swayed me."

"The only kind of swaying going on after I read that book was the drunken kind. And we're done talking about this."

"Damon, it's okay to say that she broke your heart."

"She didn't break my heart, Caroline!" He shouted, a bit more angrily than he'd intended. "She just fucked me over. Plain and simple."

"It's not plain and simple!" Caroline jumped up from her seat, chucking the long forgotten container onto his desk. "You loved her! Everybody knew that."

"No, Caroline. I didn't love _Elena_." He couldn't even remember the last time he'd actually said her name out loud. "The only person I _loved_ was whatever fake version of herself she'd been shoving in my face. I don't love the person that screwed my family over and lied to me for months. I couldn't give a _shit_ about that person."

"Bullshit, Damon. If you didn't care about Elena, this wouldn't still be hurting you. You wouldn't still be unable to say her name without flinching."

"I'm not miserable because of Elena! I'm miserable because my family has been ripped apart!" Damon felt like he was watching his meltdown from outside of his own body. He'd yet to reveal his hand since the day Elena had left that house in the Alps. He hadn't been this exposed in front of anyone since that day. Well, there had been that one moment of weakness, but he shook the memory off.

"Your family got ripped apart, Damon, because I fucked your brother when I was dating his best friend! _That's_ why everyone's so goddamn unhappy. Elena didn't force me to fuck up. And you and I both know that she was as honest with you as she could be because she was _protecting_ us. She knew what me screwing up would cause and she martyred herself because she wanted us to survive this, you included. That was the only reason she lied to you. Everything else she showed you was the truth. She loved you, too!"

"Well, clearly not enough," Damon flung his hands in the air. "Do you see her around here? No, I don't think so. And I'm pretty sure we're still suing her for defamation after that little stunt she pulled once she got back on the other side of the Atlantic. Right now, all I want is to sue her ass and move on with my goddamn life."

Caroline sighed, some of the fire going out of her eyes, as she saw the defeat in his own. He plopped back into his chair, leaning his head in his hand, his elbow propped up against the chair's arm. She bit her lip nervously, knowing what she was about to deliver. She leaned over, picking up the large tote bag off of the floor and pulling out a thick manila envelope.

"Reason number two," she murmured solemnly, holding the envelope in his line of sight.

Damon's eyes widened and he grabbed the package immediately. "Is this-"

"Yup. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Finally got the last one." Damon ripped it open, flipping to the specific pages in the heavy set of documents that had the signatures of every single one of the Originals. "Everything should be perfect so whenever you want to-"

"Now." It was Damon's turn to firmly cut her off. "We need to do it _now_." The defeat in his eyes was replaced with a purpose and a mission. He hurriedly stood, shoving the papers back into their original places.

Caroline sighed, biting her lip. "Damon, wait." Thankfully, he stopped his frantic movements and focused on her.

She continued. "I've talked to all of them. And you should know… they will all drop this in a _second_ if you say the word. Just say you want out and they all agreed that we can tear it up right here, right now."

Damon blinked, hesitating, but only because of his surprise at the offer. But it only took him a moment to regain himself. "No. This has to be done. I need to go right now."

Damon shoved past her, heading towards the door. "Damon, where are you going?"

He pivoted on his heel. "I am going to deliver this lawsuit myself. I don't want there to be _any_ confusion behind my intentions. I'll set up a meeting with a lawyer in Mystic Falls and I'll make sure everything's legit and- wait, why are you smiling like that?"

Caroline blinked, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. Although her mind had been doing backflips over Damon's newest announcement, she'd thought she'd been sporting a better poker face. "What? Nothing."

Damon's eyes flickered with anger. "Caroline, I'm delivering a _lawsuit_. Don't think for a second this is anything more than that."

"Of course not," Caroline shook her head back and forth, but a little too rapidly to seem genuine. But Damon's focus on the task at hand was more important than proving the blonde wrong.

"But, Damon, one more thing?" She stopped him before he could get any further. "You should probably read her book."

"I already told you that I read it!" He hissed.

Caroline haughtily crossed her arms. "Something you said earlier proved that you didn't. I'd recommend you do a little more than skim it before you see her."

Damon's eyebrows furrowed at her statement, but he shook himself out of it. He needed to get on a plane.

* * *

_"What the fuck is this?" Victoria hissed._

_Elena stepped forward, a surge of confidence keeping her steady._

_"How about you and I make a little deal?"_

_Victoria's gaze was one of disgust. "I beg your pardon? I'm the only one making deals around here, sweetheart. This isn't a game."_

_Elena let out a bitter laugh. "This has always been a game to you. You just have to make sure you're winning at all times."_

_Victoria stood from her position against the desk, stalking towards Elena, her hand nearly shaking with anger. She shoved the fist holding the papers up in the air. "This… is Damon's biography."_

_Elena smirked. "You are so observant."_

_Victoria chucked the manuscript into a nearby chair, letting out a low chuckle. "Look, I get it. You fell for the Original, just like all of your little whore friends who swore they wouldn't. You'll even risk your career just to make him happy. But if you think for one second, I'm going to publish this and forget about-"_

"_Stefan and Caroline? Old news. It's already out. The Originals know everything." Elena felt a rush of satisfaction seeing some fear develop in Victoria's eyes. "I'm surprised they haven't contacted you yet, actually."_

_Victoria swallowed, gaining some of her confidence back. "But you still don't want the world to know…"_

"_You're right. In fact, as you can clearly see, I don't want 'the world' to know any of the Originals' dirty little secrets. I want you to swear to publish this book, without manipulating it in the slightest, and to delete any and all copies of the tell-all. Then, you'll keep your mouth shut about anything related to my friends. If you do all that, you'll get something quite valuable in return."_

_Victoria let out another dark laugh. "I can't wait to hear what you think you have."_

"_Oh, you don't get to." Victoria's eyebrow shot up. "Not yet anyway. I want a signed contract, right now, that you'll do what I just said, or else you're never getting the information I know you want."_

"_Are you naïve enough to think I'm actually going to play along with this bullshit?"_

"_Yes. You know I wouldn't enter into the ring with you unless I had something fucking fantastic." Elena leaned forward, giving her best menacing glare. "I have something that will set you for life. It's better than a trashy tell-all. It's journalistic gold. I would be handing over all of the proof, all of the damning evidence. All of the credit would go to you. You'd be an idiot to turn it down. And if you do settle for some book with the same classiness as Us Weekly, you'll forever regret letting me walk out the door with the one thing that will make your career legendary."_

"_You're insane," Victoria hissed._

"_Insanely desperate… but so are you.'"_

_Their stare-down would be almost comical if it wasn't so potentially life altering. Elena was inwardly trembling at the idea that Victoria could say no. She'd exposed her hand, laid out all of her cards. She'd played every dirty trick in the book to get Victoria to succumb. Her mind flashed back to that moment in her bedroom back in Europe, where Warren had made his pleas. And then to the moment when she'd realized what she could do, with Bernie's help. At least, if she walked out of this office the loser, she knew that she'd pulled on that rope harder than anyone ever had._

_Don't let your mind get weary_

_And confused your will be still, don't try_

_Don't let your heart get heavy_

_Child, inside you there's a strength that lies_

Elena tapped her fingers against the diner's counter. She'd done it a million times as a kid, waiting impatiently for her "breakfast" waffles that were covered in so much whipped cream and stuffed with so many chocolate chips they might as well have been on the dessert menu. Except this time, Elena was on the other side of the counter at two in the morning, staring at a completely empty diner, the only two cars in the dimly lit parking lot hers and Mike's.

Mike, the cook, was dead asleep in the break "closet." He'd gruffly warned Elena, like he did every night, that she could only wake him up if there was a customer or if the building was on fire. One time, she'd sarcastically asked if she could wake him if they were being robbed, but his expression had indicated that she'd be on her own.

Although they were a twenty-four hour diner, Mystic Falls didn't see a lot of late night traffic, the nearest highway being over ten miles away after the newest construction. So beyond the lost and exhausted truck driver and the occasional set of teenagers trying to hide how drunk off of wine coolers they were, business was dismal at best. But the owner was convinced that they needed to maintain tradition and be open at all times.

Elena couldn't complain too much. The pay was much better than all of the other waitressing shifts and besides doing some basic cleanup and inventory at the beginning of her evening, she was basically required to do nothing but read and write. She'd been told ahead of time that she wasn't permitted to bring any sort of activity or distraction device, but clearly there was no one to stop her from doing so.

But her inspiration for the evening was cut short, not that there ever was any inspiration these days. She'd delved back into creative writing, needing some sort of outlet for her ever-spinning thoughts. She'd produced a great deal of stories over the past few months, but her muse had run out about three weeks earlier. Added to her lack of words, the wi-fi at the diner was down so she couldn't even surf the Internet and pretend to be interested in what she found.

So that led to the tapping of her fingers. Elena had unfortunately forgotten a book and the only thing around the diner to read was the one piece of literature she'd been dying to avoid. The rest of the world may have written her first published work off, but the little town of Mystic Falls was just proud to have someone famous. The book sat in one of the ancient cases on the wall, on display for anyone who walked in.

Elena's mind ran away on her, roaming over the busyness of her day, but her ringing cell phone abruptly interrupted her thoughts. This was, of course, another device that she was banned from using while on the clock, but that typically wouldn't have stopped her, especially when her phone was ringing so late. But the name on the screen did.

Elena's throat immediately went dry seeing his name there for the first time in months. She never thought this moment would come, and here it was. She was wearing an uncomfortable old-timey waitress' uniform (did she mention how much she hated her job?) and standing behind the counter of her hometown diner in the wee hours of the morning, and Damon Salvatore was finally calling her again.

Thankfully, her love struck side was stronger than her anxiety and she ripped the phone up to her ear, pressing the "accept call" button. Imagining that she could have missed her chance to talk to him sent chills up and down her spine.

"Hello?" She said shakily into the phone. This was it. Whatever he said next would make or break this moment.

"What's your availability tomorrow?"

In all of the times Elena had imagined this conversation, that particular set of words had never come to mind.

"I'm sorry?" She stuttered.

"I'm in Mystic Falls. Tomorrow, I need to meet with you and a lawyer as a witness. When and where can that happen?"

Elena's jaw dropped, the hand holding her phone sweating profusely. "You're _in_ Mystic Falls?" She couldn't fathom anything beyond the fact that he was that close to her.

Damon heaved out a large sigh, clearly frustrated with her lack of an answer. "Yes, Elena. I'm staying at some bed and breakfast. I need you to answer my question."

"Um," Elena swore as the windows of the diner filled with a large glaring light. Of course, she'd have a customer right now. She wasn't anything if not unlucky. She made a note to spit in their coffee for their bad timing. "Damon, I'm sorry. I can't talk about this right now."

Damon scoffed. "Are you kidding me? Elena, this isn't an _optional_ conversation." The lights on the car turned off as the person pulled out their keys.

"I'm not kidding, Damon. I'm at-" Suddenly, her tongue felt a thousand times heavier.

"Damon, where are you?" Her tone was urgent. She could barely hear herself over her own heartbeat.

"I just told you. I'm staying at some hokey inn." He replied impatiently.

The bell on the front door chimed as it opened. "No, Damon. Where are you _right_ _fucking_ _now_?!"

She watched his face, filled with confusion and anger, slowly lift and recognize her own. Elena reached one hand forward, grasping at the counter just in case her knees decided to give out.

For the first time in six months, Damon was standing right in front of her.

_Don't lose your faith in me_

_And I will try not to lose faith in you_

_Don't put your trust in walls_

_'Cause walls will only crush you when they fall_

This was the scene Elena had crafted a million different ways in her head. The first time their eyes met after all of their time apart. On good days, she imagined his face breaking out into an earth-shattering grin, unable to contain all of the joy he felt. On the bad ones, the fury in his eyes was enough to make her collapse. But now that she was experiencing it for real, Elena had no idea which end of the spectrum he was on. All she could see was shock. Pure, unadulterated shock.

She knew her face was giving her away so she put forth all of her energy to fix that. Near simultaneously, they both lowered and hung up their cell phones sheepishly.

"Um, what can I get you?" She asked with an uncomfortable smile. _Smooth, Gilbert. You should be an actress or something._

Damon awkwardly cleared his throat, glancing down at the briefcase in his hands. Elena found it unnerving that he was carrying something so… not Damon. It made him look older and duller, although he never could be. And that just wasn't the Damon she knew. "Well, _now_, I'd like some tequila."

If the situation hadn't been so horrendously awkward, Elena would have actually laughed. Even at their lowest points, they could still somehow manage to crack jokes.

Damon had regained some of his swagger, working up enough courage to sit at one of the built-in stools at the counter directly in front of her. That unique Damon scent filled her nostrils and it killed her inside to know that _that_, out of everything, hadn't changed a bit. She blinked rapidly, shaking out the images of all the times she'd smelt it when she'd been wrapped in his arms. "Unfortunately, the only alcohol here is in Mike's mini fridge and I've been explicitly warned not to wake him up unless there's a fire."

"What if you get robbed?" Damon asked seriously. Elena bit back a smile.

"Nope. Just burning down in flames. Got to protect that Coors Light of his." Damon made a face of disgust at the cheap, fratty alcohol and Elena couldn't hold back a slight chuckle. There was her high-class man. _Not yours, Elena. He's definitely no longer yours. _

"But I can get you coffee," Elena offered. "It actually doesn't suck as bad as you think it might."

"Um, yeah. Thanks." Elena nodded, happy to have something to do that gave her an excuse to think about something other than him. But the mindless activity wasn't enough to stop her rapidly beating heart and the unattractive prickles of sweat at her hairline.

She placed the steaming mug in front of him, not even bothering to offer any add-ins, knowing that he liked it black. "Thank you," he replied, his gaze going straight down into the mug and taking a sip. Elena kept her eyes on him for only a few moments before darting to the end of the counter and pulling a small dish out of the clear display fridge. She could feel his curious eyes burning into her as she put the plate in front of him and added a dollop of whipped cream straight from the can.

Elena crossed her arms as she spoke, addressing his surprise. "I didn't want to play the '_can I get you something to eat? No thanks; I'm fine, even though I haven't eaten in eight hours. No, please let me get you something. Haven't you done enough?'_ game so I thought I'd just skip straight to the end of that argument. Closest thing we have to a gourmet fruit tart." She saw some of the fire spark back in his eyes at that memory from long, long ago when they'd shared that dessert in the kitchen. "Besides…" Her strength wavered a bit. "I kind of owe you one."

Damon's shocked gaze was back, and it was stronger than the one he'd given her when he'd first walked in. In fact, it was more awestruck than anything else, like he didn't recognize her. And, to be honest, Elena didn't recognize herself, either. She'd always assumed that if Damon ever came back into her life, she'd be a bumbling mess, sobbing or blubbering within the first minute. But here she was, being confident and strong, holding her own. Elena didn't want to question it too much, given that the alternative was terrifying, but she decided to tone it down a little bit, if only out of respect.

"Since when do you work in a shitty diner?" Damon asked accusatorily.

"I needed a distraction." She didn't add that she'd donated almost all of Damon's generous salary to charity after she'd moved back home so, therefore, needed the money. No need to add fuel to an already dangerous fire. "During the day, I work at the-"

"The newspaper?" Elena's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, I know. I was planning on barging into your office and causing a scene if you refused to meet me tomorrow. Did some research to find out where exactly that was. Pretty low on the totem pole, aren't you?"

He was right. She was a glorified secretary, even at a small town newspaper. "Well, I didn't have much of an option after… everything."

That earlier confidence and calm was clearly caused by shock rather than actual maturity. Damon abruptly dropped his fork on the table, some of his frustration finally reaching the surface. "Are we really fucking doing this? Add in a goddamn hug and we're acting like we're old friends from college!"

"Damon…" She attempted to quiet his rising voice, scared that Mike would wake up. She didn't care if Damon was reaming her out for the next hour. She was still too in love with him to be picky about how they spent their time together, just as long as they were.

"No, you know what? I want to call you out on your shit. I'm tired of hearing 'poor Elena' and people telling me how you were just being protective and doing what I would have done which is _bullshit_. Don't you _dare_ think I would do this to the people I love."

Elena nodded her head in acceptance. He'd had six months to prepare this speech and he had every right to give it.

"You ripped my family apart, Elena. And for months, you actually _wanted_ to do it! You told me yourself! You _wanted_ to see us fall on our asses. You didn't care about what it would do or who it would hurt! And you didn't just _hurt_ people, Elena. You might not have _made_ Caroline fuck Stefan, but it wouldn't have come out if it weren't for you. God, do you know how much therapy they've had to go through for the last six months just to hang on to a small shred of hope?! And Katherine and Elijah, all they wanted to do was get married before we left, but they have to put it off because half of the group couldn't stand to be in the same fucking room as each other!"

Damon took a heavy breath before continuing. "And you might have sacrificed your career and your life in LA for that damn biography of me…" She noticed a bit of softness flicker into his eyes almost as quickly as it left them. "But you sold out my parents in the process! What were you thinking?! Just weighing out which betrayal would hurt less?! I've spent the past five months working my ass off to get our company back up and running after we had every award and accolade ripped from us. We have to produce four films this year alone to try to maintain some positive press!"

Damon paused for a moment, some of his strength waning. The last time Elena had heard from Damon, he'd been so incredibly weak and vulnerable and it had nearly ripped her in two. "And then there's the one thing that everybody seems to fucking forget which is you. And how you lied to me and fucked with my head for months, knowing exactly what the endgame of this whole situation would be. I… I hate saying this with every fiber of my being and I can feel my balls shrinking already… but you broke my heart, Elena." She felt the air rush out of her lungs at those words, his voice barely a whisper now as he stared into the countertop. "You broke my heart and then, to make matters even fucking worse, you just… gave up. You didn't fight. You told me that you were tired of trying after only half an hour… So forgive me, if I have a hard time believing it every time one of the Originals tells me how much you loved me."

Damon glanced up briefly and cursed under his breath seeing some of the tears filling her eyes. He pushed the plate away, leaning both of his elbows on the counter and placing his face into his hands.

Damon let out a deep sigh. "I have to apologize to you, though. For what I said right before you walked out…" Damon didn't need to finish his sentence. She knew exactly what particular detail he was referring to you. "It was over the line, no matter what, and… I was just lashing out. Childishly hoping I could hurt you in the same way you hurt me. Plus," she noticed a slight tinge to his cheeks at his next words. "The phone call… I shouldn't have…"

Elena let out an awkward chuckle, one strained by her tears. "I'm surprised you actually remember that."

Damon frowned. "How could I forget?"

"_Hello," Elena mumbled groggily into her phone. She hadn't even bothered to check who it was, just ready to destroy the person on the other end. She'd actually been on the fast track to a semi-decent amount of sleep before the call had interrupted it and she was already afraid of how long it would take her to fall back into it._

"_Are you pregnant?"_

_Elena gasped, immediately wide-awake. She shot up out of the bed, unable to stay in one place. It had been three weeks since the worst night of her life and hearing his voice again caused her entire body to alight in goose bumps, regardless of how clearly drunk he was. "Damon," she murmured._

"_Are you pregnant?" He repeated himself. His voice was groggy with intoxication and fatigue. "When we slept together, I didn't use a condom and I'm betting my life's savings on the fact that you weren't on the pill. So tell me: are you pregnant? Because I can see you being the kind of girl who just wouldn't tell me if you were." _

"_Damon, I'm not pregnant," she mumbled. Although she'd have been a liar if the thought hadn't crossed her mind a thousand times since she'd come home._

"_Are you sure? Have you taken a pregnancy test or gone to the doctor or-"_

"_Damon, really. I can promise you that I am not pregnant right now." She was hoping he'd catch her drift without her having to fully spell out the main reason she'd known they hadn't fucked up to that badly that night. The aching pain in her pelvic region was a sure indicator of that._

_There was a pause at the other end of the line. "Oh. Okay."_

_Elena waited for the click on the other end, assuming he would simply hang up once he'd cleared up that there was no need for child support. But instead, she just heard his heavy breathing on the other end. He didn't want to end the call, either. Her next step was wary, but she decided to make it regardless._

"_How are you?" Stupid question, but she just wanted to hear his voice some more._

"_The Originals deleted your number from my phone." Apparently, he wasn't in the mood to answer questions. "They were worried I'd do something stupid." He laughed at his own irony. "Well, what they didn't factor in was how I'd memorized the fucking contact from staring at it for so damn long." Elena's breath caught in her chest at his unexpected declaration. She felt the longing for that night, before all of the bad had happened, when he'd been so open with her. And here he was now, exposing himself, being so damn vulnerable it hurt. She decided to take a risk, a leap of faith that this could lead to something good._

"_If it was true, Damon… you would have been a good father." She spoke with more sincerity than she knew she could muster._

_Her words had stunned Damon slightly, but he shook himself out of it. "Damn right I would be. And I will. I'm gonna be a hell of a better father than my own was. And I'm not gonna fuck my kid's life over just because I'm a coward."_

_Elena didn't know how to respond, but she sat on the other end, waiting with baited breath for the next thing, whatever it might be. Would he say something else or would he just hang up? It was the deepest amount of suspense she'd ever encountered._

"_You're gonna be a great mom someday, Elena." He whispered. "You're gonna be perfect at it…"_

_Elena smiled, a few tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She was just about to thank him, but like a record scratch, the atmosphere shifted violently._

"_But I'm sure as hell glad you're not the mother of my child." His tone was seeped in venom. "I literally cannot imagine a worse thing than you being pregnant with my kid right now."_

_Elena held back a sob, the tears streaming down her face. "Yeah," she choked out. "You're right. The worst."_

_When the audible click came, Elena fell to the floor._

"I lied," Damon said somberly. "I can, uh, think of a lot of worse things." His eyes settled on her intensely and Elena could only nod in response. Although his words that night had torn her apart, she'd clung to them because at least they were his.

His silence indicated that it was her turn. "Damon, I owe you a million apologies. And I will still owe you and everyone you care about a million more when I'm in a rocking chair. But I can't… I can't start unless you let me." She reached out her hand on impulse, lightly draping her fingertips on the back of his. "I didn't want to stop fighting for you, Damon. But you'll have to forgive me for doing it in the only way I knew how. I thought bargaining with Victoria was the one thing that would meet her level of 'manipulative bitch.' So I asked Bernie to sneak into your dad's office and get the documents for me. I didn't put that secret in the original tell-all because I knew it hit too close to home for you, but… I realized that, if you had to, you'd sell it in a second to protect your friends. And I'm sorry that it hurt your family, but I've seen how hard you're working to help your brother and, from everything I've heard, Stefan's doing brilliantly in spite of it all. I had a hunch that he would."

Damon's gaze had been locked on hers the whole time she'd spoken, and she could see the war going on in his mind. There was a part of him that loathed her, wanted to see her go down in flames. But there was another part that still loved her through everything and, for some damned reason, couldn't let that go. She knew that side very, _very_ well.

Damon abruptly ripped his gaze from hers, ready to escape the brewing intensity for a moment, before his eyes caught on something in the corner. A smirk grew on his face. "_Please_ tell me you didn't hang up your own book."

Elena blushed. "Uh, yeah. That wasn't me. I'm apparently the first 'famous' alumna of Mystic Falls." She watched him stand up and walk with his hands in his pockets towards the display case. "It's like they think someone's going to walk in and want to sit down for a read."

At her words, Damon cocked his head in curiosity, lifting one hand to determine that it was indeed unlocked. He pulled back the door and gingerly picked the book off of its stand. He nearly laughed at the image of himself as a child on the front cover. She knew he liked to deflect with humor when he was in too deep emotionally, but this was odd. "Don't count it off as too crazy. Caroline called me out on only skimming this thing earlier." Elena stiffened at his words, unbeknownst to him. "I might just sit here and read the whole damn thing just to spite you. I have nothing better to do and the time zones are throwing me off anyways." Teasingly, he plopped down on the stool again, and opened up the book… straight to the author's note. Which, apparently, he'd yet to read. From the look in his eyes as he mockingly scanned the first few words, she could confirm that assumption.

Damon's once joking eyes were now filled with confusion. He glanced up at her quickly and could see how nervous she was. "_Falling in love was not what I expected…"_ He murmured.

"Damon." She whispered, his name a warning, a plea to not do this to her. She'd known he would read this one day, but sitting only two feet away from her… It was too much. She ignored the irony that she could publish her vulnerability for the entire world to see, but having him read it aloud right in front of her was too much to handle.

He continued, not that she expected him to actually stop_. "It wasn't perfect. It wasn't easy. It was gritty and dirty and hard and painful. So why am I so grateful for it? Why am I so attached to the idea? At this point, I would love him even if he never loved me back, purely because it's my newfound purpose. Falling in love with Damon Salvatore was my moment."_ Damon's gaze went back to her, confused by her words, but her expression revealed nothing. His curiosity got the better of him and he went back to the page.

"_I remember laughing with him over the dumbest things, the happiest of tears an inevitability. I remember when he dragged me out of bed at two in the morning and I'd wanted to slaughter him for it, but then he showed me the freshly fallen snow and I'd kissed him because I'd never seen him look more beautiful. Because Damon Salvatore had taken the life I had and ripped it wide open, allowing me to experience and live in a way I'd never been able to before."_ She flinched, noting some recognition dawn in his eyes at the familiarity of her words.

"_And although I'll never be able to fully explain why, I decided that turning my back on that moment was a better choice for me. Fear propelled me forward and I refused to allow something make me so vulnerable. So I continued to make destructive choices, convinced I was doing the right thing by going about my life as I'd originally planned. But I was wrong."_

At the next paragraph, his voice was barely a whisper. But she knew the words like the back of her hand_. "'Some moment happens in your life that you say yes right up to the roots of your hair, that it makes it worth having been born just to have happened. Laughing with somebody 'til the tears run down your cheeks. Waking up to the first snow. Being in bed with somebody you love… Whether you thank God for such a moment or thank your lucky stars, it is a moment that is trying to open up your whole life. If you turn your back on such a moment and hurry along to business as usual, it may lose you the ball game. If you throw your arms around such a moment and hug it like crazy, it may save your soul.'"_ Damon gritted his teeth, pausing for a brief moment. He'd been as little prepared to read this, as Elena had been to hear it again.

"_The day I first heard this quote I was on a plane. I remember I was so nervous that I could barely stand straight in my heels. I put up a good front because that's what you do. Everyone knows that you can't show the predator your fear and Damon Salvatore was my predator. He told me it was his favorite quote because he wanted to give those moments to those that watched his films. But I never had to see a single one of his movies for him to grant me with that gift._

"_At this point, I had rejected Damon about five times. The concept of giving into his blue eyes was appalling to me and I refused to follow expectations. But like every romantic comedy and fairy tale has shown, inevitably I would find his eyes far more appealing than appalling and learn that those expectations were there for a reason. A day would come when I'd fall in love with him._

"_The best night of my life shared the date with the worst. This was the day my fears caught up to me and manifested into a very real nightmare. While I'd been walking forward, fully focused on what lay ahead, I had neglected to look behind me and see the path of destruction I'd left behind. That Civil War general in Atlanta had nothing on me. I turned my back on that moment and I lost the whole damn ball game._

"_I wish I'd hugged it like crazy. I wish I'd realized far sooner that this was what I was put on this earth to do. But instead I made a deal with the devil…_

"_And now, not even a Salvatore can save my soul."_

Although it was a cliché as it could get, you could hear a pin drop, the silence of the diner overwhelming. Elena wanted to do a million different things all at once. She wanted to break down in tears as much as she wanted to leap across the counter and kiss him. But instead, she was stuck unmoving, able to do nothing but wait for him to respond in whatever way he would.

When Damon slammed the book shut, dropping it on the counter, Elena jumped. He picked up his briefcase as he began to speak, placing it on the stool next to him. "The reason I came here was to deliver a lawsuit." Elena's throat went dry. Any of the kindness or emotion in his tone was gone, replaced with one he would use on business clients. "All of the Originals have signed it, accusing you of defamation and slander. We really don't have much of a case, but the point is simply to drag you through court for a bit."

Elena swallowed, the panic beginning to rise. She'd lost him. Any and all chances of reconciliation had been thrown out the window. She should have never let him read that author's note. She shouldn't have betrayed him in the first place. And now he was going to leave her for broke in the judicial system, adding more negative shit to her already tarnished reputation.

She watched him as he opened the briefcase and ran his fingers meticulously over two thick manila folders. He heaved a large sigh and for a brief moment she hoped he was regretting his decision. But instead he ripped one out, a loud thud ringing out as it hit the counter. It had to be at least seventy pages thick. Elena cringed as he smacked a twenty down on the counter and began leaving.

"Damon, please," she cried.

"You can look over the documents tonight and I will see you tomorrow afternoon. I'll text you with the details. Goodbye, Elena." He reached the door before she could get three shaky breaths out, already outside when she reached four.

She stood frozen in place, trembling in fear. Yes, tomorrow, she would see him, but it would be clinical. Here, alone in this diner, she had the chance to break through to him, convince him that she would fight for him, convince him that she loved him.

So this time, Elena didn't pause. She ran.

Elena struggled with the gate at the counter, its perpetual ability to get stuck kicking in right when she needed it least. Elena raced through the tables, yanking open the door, and nearly throwing herself into the parking lot. But clearly, Damon had wanted to get out of there as hastily as he could. The second her feet touched cement, he was already pulling out and speeding onto the main road.

"Wait!" Elena cried into the silent air. Mystic Falls was a ghost town at this time of night.

The words she'd been running out to say fell off of her lips, spoken to no one. "I love you." She let out a shaky exhale, running her hand through her hair. "Fuck."

Elena stumbled back into the diner, her eyes immediately going towards that damned folder on the countertop. She marched over, yanking it into her hands and nearly knocking over the cold cup of coffee. She couldn't believe that everything they'd been through was coming down to a bunch of documents filled with legal jargon. She chucked the envelope onto the floor and smacked the papers down onto the counter.

But she could never have expected what she found.

_Odd,_ she thought. _The first page was completely blank. Maybe they just did it for privacy reasons. _She yanked the page off, but was met with its twin. Elena's eyebrows drew together. _What was this?_ Elena began flipping back page after page, but every single one was completely blank. It was as if Damon had just bought a package of printer paper and stuffed it in.

Elena let out a disbelieving laugh. _What was this? Some sick sort of joke? Was it just one huge mental mind fuck? _She lifted the stack of papers, flipping through them at the top corner and confirming that they all were devoid of any sort of ink.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Elena mumbled. She had no clue what to think. But before she could contemplate Damon having a psychotic break, she felt something thin drop onto her foot. Elena set the stack of papers on the counter and bent over to pick up what she assumed was just an added page, but was instead met with a piece of heavy card stock. And this one definitely did have print.

"Holy shit," Elena murmured, a small grin forming on her face. "Holy shit."

* * *

Damon let out a loud, disbelieving laugh at what he'd just done, the wind from his rolled down window whipping at his face. He couldn't tell if he was furious or proud. This entire night had been one giant, unexpected mind fuck. He wanted to both drink himself into a coma and run a marathon at the same time.

Running into Elena at the diner? Completely unexpected. It had just been luck that he'd brought his briefcase in with him, preparing to sit down and do some work while eating a meal at the crappiest place in town. But there she was, and for the first time in six months, he didn't feel like absolute shit. Which he abhorred. He shouldn't feel good around her. He should hate her.

So he'd launched into a tirade, the one he'd been planning for months. And although he meant every word he said, he couldn't stop staring at her. She was beautiful, even more so, and she'd been even more put together than he had when he'd first walked in. Her strength and her confidence was both off-putting and awe-inspiring.

When she'd apologized, every part of him had wanted to forgive her, promise and swear that he believed every word she said. But there was still a strong part of him that was licking his wounds, unable to imagine that Elena Gilbert actually loved him and had loved him through it all.

And then that damn book. That damn motherfucking author's note that Caroline had so clearly known he hadn't read. When he looked back on this day, he would know that reading those words out loud had been what had done him in, what had made him choose the second envelope over the first. He'd barely been able to get through it, just wanting to jump across the counter and have her in his arms again. Because she loved him. And she knew him better than anyone else did. And although she'd fucked him over, he couldn't escape those two truths. And he definitely couldn't escape how much he loved her.

So he'd chosen the second envelope. The one he'd made on a whim before his flight. The part of him that had shoved a bunch of blank pieces of paper and a handwritten invitation to the Originals' next vacation had been the small part of him that hoped that maybe there was something salvageable. That, just like Caroline and Klaus and Lexi and Stefan, he could spend that time seeing if they were even a possibility any more. And what better way to do that than putting them through the pressure cooker of all relationship drama?

By the time he'd actually gotten to Mystic Falls, he'd completely assumed he would hand Elena the one filled with the actual lawsuit. That he would be practical for once in his goddamn life. But he'd been an idiot for thinking he could stop this, whatever the fuck it was. And if they crashed in burning flames after a week in a foreign country (Bali, this time around), then they crashed and burned. But at least they'd tried and they fought. Now, all he needed was a yes.

Damon pulled into the parking lot of the small inn, grabbing his small suitcase for his short stay. But before he could reach the door, his phone buzzed. Seeing her name on the screen made his whole breath catch in anticipation. But once he read the three words she'd sent him, he felt, for the first time in over six months, like he could breathe again.

_Inevitability's a bitch :)_

**Woo buddy. Still with me?**_  
_

**Alright, I just want to clarify everything that went down this chapter in case there was any confusion. I know it went by fast.**

**Elena gave Victoria the manuscript she'd been hired to write in the first place: Damon's biography. She did this knowing that if it was published, her chances of having a writing career would be shot to hell, because she was going to stay under the role of Original girl to the media's eyes. Although Elena wasn't going to give Victoria the tell-all manuscript, she knew Victoria had enough of the drafts to have another author piece it together, so Elena had to secure the secrets regardless. So she offered up another secret in exchange: the secret of Damon's parents and what they'd done to rig the Oscars. (Note: she'd neglected to put it in the tell-all so Victoria didn't know about this beforehand.) Elena knew that this secret was far bigger than some pithy Original drama and was worth more than the manuscript. So she got Victoria to go along with her deal, thereby keeping the Originals' secrets out of the press, including the Stefan/Caroline affair.**

**Elena had added an author's note to Damon's biography, though. (****Fun fact: I actually wrote that "author's note" in August the second I came up with the idea. Hope you liked the bringing back of the old quote.)** It was basically her love letter to him and once he read it, Damon finally pushed away any of the false ideas in his mind that he could stop loving her. Before he'd left, he'd made the "fake lawsuit" with an invitation to the next Originals' vacation inside, offering up the chance to spend time together and work things out. Elena's last text to him is a reference to his words right before they slept together: "the only thing inevitable here... is us."

**So... that's it! I've already gotten a lot of requests for an epilogue but I'm fairly sure it's not going to happen. Honestly, I've read a lot of fics, and only about three of them were actually improved with the addition of an epilogue. Plus, I really love the open ending here. You can interpret whatever you may. Does Elena rush to the hotel a few minutes later and jump his bones? ;) Do they go on that vacation and, after a week, realize their relationship is completely unsalvageable? Or do they have that white picket fence ending that epilogues always seem to provide? It's up to you. Of course, I have my own opinion, but that's just something you're going to have to live without. ;)**

**But now it's time for me to say goodbye (for now!) and let you guys have at it in the reviews. Look, I know it's not "cool" to pressure you guys into a review but... IT'S THE FINAL CHAPTER. Please, please, if you're reading this, whether you've given me eighteen reviews or zero, leave a review. It's like signing a guest book saying you were here :p. I would appreciate it immensely and, plus, it would be really cool to get to a certain number of reviews (hint, hint.) There are actually thousands of people that have read this (don't even get me started on that omg) so even if it's simple, it's worth it.**

**Thank you all again for coming along with me on this crazy, crazy journey. I love you all more than words can describe.**

**PS. The first chapter of my new fic, Wicked Innocence, is already up for you guys. And it would be really, really cool if you could check it out. :)**


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